3 bar menu

Volume 3 Chapter 57

March of Despair

The next morning, the demon Amon, who had taken over the former general’s body, had come to Haruto and the Knight of Fire, who were guarding the private army’s camp.

[How could a human master such a high level of magic… and so many of them, all by himself?]

Haruto’s magic deeply impressed Amon.

[It’s quite a shame, since you were such a wonderfully strong and noble soul. But the bracelet of servitude has made your soul cease its usefulness to me.]

Haruto’s soul had been damaged by the bracelet, such that Amon became unable to interfere with Haruto’s soul.

Amon moved in front of Haruto to see him, who was currently facing out of the camp.

[Hmm? You… did you notice me?]

Haruto’s gaze didn’t meet Amon’s, but he felt that he was somehow being probed for his own magical power, the one that was being transferred into the former general’s body.

Touching Haruto’s body, Amon attempts to control his soul-

But as expected, Haruto’s soul seems to have been completely destroyed, and was unable to accept Amon’s interference.

[Tch, I can’t even take your soul with this…well, I guess that’s fine. You’ll still be working under me from now on.]

After saying that, Amon went back to the center of the camp.

──＊＊＊──

Shortly after noon that day, a hundred thousand Apristos Soldiers crossed the border of Alheim, joining the private army of the Fifth Prince.

The national army was led by General Left, one of the three national military commanders in Apristos.

The General had received a secret order from the King.

Kill the fifth prince in Alheim.

Originally, the prince would have been defeated by the border guards and killed or captured without the General being able to do anything about it.

However, the prince was able to attack at the time when the border guards were most vulnerable after informing the former general of Alheim’s national army, and was thus able to invade Alheim without danger.

With this information, General Left hatched a new plan to kill the prince. He instigated the prince and his private army to invade Alheim before the national army.

Although the private army was a small army of 3,000 men, it could be used to exhaust some of Alheim’s soldiers.

And if the prince died in that attack, then it would be a pleasant surprise.

Even If he didn’t die, he could still get his men to kill him in the middle of the war.

With that in mind, the Left General decided to join up with his private army. The place where they would meet up was the prairie where the royal capital of Alheim was in full view.

[…What do you mean? What’s wrong with the three thousand units?]

The left general, who had identified the private army, had asked his lieutenant.

[Yes, it should be fine but…]

The lieutenant was at a loss for words. About thirteen thousand soldiers were lined up in front of the left general, carefully in position.

About three thousand of them were human beings.

This was the fifth prince’s private army.

And the remaining 10,000-

[Is there something wrong with my eyesight? Those soldiers look like they’re on fire.]

There were knights with blazing, flaming spears in their hands, with their entire bodies being shrouded in fiery flames.

It was the flaming knights that Haruto had created.

[General Left! I’m glad you’re here.]

[Your Highness,]

The fifth prince had come in front of the left general.

The Left General kneeled down as a show of respect.

[Have you heard anything from my father?]

[Yes, he’s asking you to fight with your own private army and destroy the elves.]

It was a lie to fight with a private army.

The Left General’s goal was to destroy Alheim in order to get the World Tree, and to make the Fifth Prince die.

[I see! That’s certainly reassuring.]

The prince, who knew nothing about, was honestly pleased with the left general’s words.

[Um… what are these knights in front of your highness’ private army? Is it Magic, sir?]

[Oh, that. It’s the power of my friend’s servant.]

With that, the prince called the former general.

[He’s my collaborator.]

[I’m pleased to meet you. I was a general in the national army in Alheim. But I have been relieved of that position, and desire revenge on that country.]

[Oh, I see. Thank you for your help, Your Highness. So those knights are part of your magic?　It looks like there are ten thousand or so…]

[It’s the power of my servants. The original number was about 1,000, but we were taken by surprise just now. I added a few more to make the enemy see the futility of a surprise attack.]

***

A few moments before the Apristos State Army joined them, Sarion, Tina, Luke, and Ryushin came to take Haruto.

Using Luke’s ultimate magic, they were able to blast the flame knights and clear a path to Haruto.

After that, Tina and Ryushin had immediately surrounded Haruto.

While Ryushin was keeping the flame knights in check, Tina casted a restraining spell on Haruto.

The restraint magic that the level 250 Tina had seriously cast was easily broken by Haruto.

However, Tina and the others had also expected it.

The moment Haruto was forced to devote his attention to breaking the restraining spell…

Sarion, who had disappeared from sight, attacked the slave’s bracelet from Haruto’s blind spot.

Even if he couldn’t restrain Haruto, breaking the slave’s bracelet should have stopped him.

Sarion’s attack did indeed hit the slave’s bracelet.

-But it didn’t break.

Under Amon’s direction, Haruto had placed multiple layers of magical barriers on the slave’s bracelet.

The operation failed, and the flaming knights rushed to Sarion and the others.

It was a good idea to always plan ahead.

─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─

[You could have just used a thousand of them and still gotten through, couldn’t you?　What’s the point of having more of those things?]

The left general asks the former general.

[Those who charged in were extraordinary. There was someone who could use ultimate magic, not to mention Tina-Haribel was also there.]

[Ultimate magic? No, hold on, did you say Tina-Haribel? That legendary elvf who defeated the demon king with the heroes… is she really real?]

[Yes. And we managed to withstand the onslaught of such people and drove them one step further to striking back, do you now understand that those fire knights are not useless?]

[Oh, oh yes. That is indeed encouraging.]

Contrary to his words, the Left General had a growing sense of urgency. He just heard of a power that could depose even legendary heroes after all.

If that power were to be directed at them…

[Are you surprised at the power of my servants? Because I’ll tell you, it’s going to be great..]

The prince boasted as if it were his own power.

[This war is already won. I’ve been dying to rape the elven woman. I will make them pay for mocking me!]

[…As Your Highness says.]

At the prince’s command, ten thousand flaming knights, three thousand private troops, and one hundred thousand national troops began to march at once toward the royal capital of Alheim.