Evade The Hero and Flee!

Chapter 262

31. Originally, watching fights is the most entertaining way (9)

<News spread rapidly across the continent about the sudden appearance of the Mercenary King, like a comet streaking through the sky.>

Reports indicate that the Mercenary King leads thousands of mercenaries, renowned for combat prowess that rivals even the most esteemed knightly orders.

Moreover, rumors suggest that the person claiming the title of the Mercenary King commands a formidable demon as a familiar, alongside being a highly skilled Sorcerer themselves.

The combination of the colossal fire giant Surtr and the Sorcerer controlling it!

This proved to be an unstoppable alliance, one that not even the forces of darkness could resist.

Surtr's awe-inspiring might, effortlessly decimating armies of evil-tainted ogres, truly embodies that of a great demon.

Its master, capable of sweeping away hundreds with a single spell, thus bringing annihilation to the forces of darkness across the continent.

The army of the Mercenary King, supported by heroes, the Imperial Army, and the Magic Tower, is making swift progress in eliminating the forces of darkness. Consequently, numerous factions across the continent are mustering their strength to provide support!

Experts predict that at this rate, the Demon King will fall within three years, leading to the complete vanquishing of the forces of darkness.

The being bringing peace to the world, the Mercenary King, astonishingly turned out to be none other than the second daughter of the renowned Nermia Family of the Karan Empire.

Indeed, she was Lia El Nermia, the former student council president of Eugrasia, the continent's preeminent academy, whose legacy intertwined with Lemin El Nermia, the Head of the Magic Tower, and Nerkia Li Derillaf, Aries lil Letia!

Recently, it was revealed that the natural-born hero Laina is a direct descendant of the Royal Family of Laina.

Before the shock of this revelation could subside, the Empire had already unveiled yet another outstanding talent.

Hence, many believe that the Empire stands as the sole hope in halting the advance of the forces of darkness.

Will the other kingdoms come to the Empire's aid? Or will they show that they too can fight against the forces of darkness?

< There is widespread curiosity about the future trajectory of the continent following the demise of the Demon King.>

Thud!

I folded the information sheet, which serves as a newspaper in this world.

Through Lia's leadership, the mercenaries were successfully integrated with the forces of the Magic Tower.

"Are they doing even better than I thought?"

It was Iron Bat, munching on chocolate cake and swinging his legs from the side.

Yeah. They are doing really well.

Lia's performance far exceeds my initial expectations.

"Is it because of my mood that I think there might be a problem?"

"Usually, yes, but things change when you're in charge."

I got a little annoyed at Iron Bat, who was enjoying the cake so much that he even hummed a tune.

"Take this!"

"Ouch!"

Therefore, I resorted to a rather cruel act.

"My, my strawberry…!"

That's right.

I snatched the one and only piece of fruit from the cake that somehow looked delicious!

I usually don't like fruit, but when it's on a piece of cake, it looks appetizing.

"You… devil!"

"What?"

That wasn't something an evil spirit, worse than a demon in this world, would say.

No, nowadays, demons have a much better image.

Thanks to the great Demon Lord slaughtering the forces of darkness, demons are quite popular now.

"That was a stupid thing to do."

"There are many fools who think they can do anything just because others do."

Entering a contract with a demon carries immense risk.

While Lia's betrayal of a demon from behind marked a historic event, entering such a contract resembles a form of slavery. Under different circumstances, Lia might have been spectating heroes and the forces of darkness while enjoying popcorn in the underworld.

The typical payment demanded by demons in contracts is the soul.

They claim the soul when it departs the body.

This is why demons often circumvent contracts by placing summoners in fatal predicaments.

For reference, the source was the great demon Surtr, who can be considered the representative of demons.

To think… they would strike a deal even with a soul on the line and then stab them in the back. Such devilish beings exist in this world.

"They are demons after all. And the person stabbing them in the back is their master."

"Usually, those who stab others in the back should watch out for their own backs."

"It's not something a master should say, no matter how you think about it."

I punished Iron Bat, who was being noisy, by snatching the last bite of cake from him.

After having a simple snack at the café, I stood up and left the place.

"Why are you going out at such a dangerous time?"

"I want to visit some relatives; it's been a long time since we last contacted."

"Is that so?"

Following some necessary precautions, I was permitted to depart through the gate, adhering to standard procedures.

"Everyone seems relieved."

"Because we're winning."

As Iron Bat said, since we're winning against the forces of darkness, such things were possible.

"Not long ago, even countries far removed from the forces of darkness had travel restrictions in place. It's surprising that passage is now possible in a Kingdom so close to the forces of darkness.

"They call this safety complacency."

The current safety suggests there's little to no risk.

The circulating news reinforced this belief.

Lia's forces, united with several Kingdoms, the Magic Tower, and mercenaries, along with a minority within the Imperial Army and the combined might of heroes and some of the Imperial Army, formed the strongest human army.

Thanks to these forces, thousands upon thousands of the forces of darkness were vanishing each day.

"Is the master trying to say that? The most painful backstab often comes when you least expect it."

"That's right."

A battle persists until its conclusive end.

Why else would the concept of a comeback exist if you couldn't win from a disadvantaged position?

Surely the Demon King is preparing some kind of countermove.

It's none other than my student.

In situations like this, one gains the most from launching a sudden attack, knowing that more than anything else.

As expected, the Demon King devised a countermove.

"Huh… this is…"

A familiar maneuver, reminiscent of a previous encounter.

#11 Their Situation: The Situation of a Certain Kingdom

"The prevailing trend favors the Empire!"

The nobles remained speechless in response to the King's declaration.

"To survive, one must align with the Empire. There's no one else who can halt the Empire!"

These weren't the words of just any King.

A King is the supreme authority responsible for a nation.

Their duty is to strive for the nation's benefit and aim for greater strength.

For a King to declare that one should follow another country's lead…

Even though he was a King, it was a situation where the nobles should intervene.

"…"

"…"

Yet, the nobles held their silence, with a few nodding in agreement with the King.

This indicated the significant shift in the continent's dynamics.

"Your Majesty…"

At that moment, a noble stepped forward.

"It's true that our Kingdom may seem weaker than the Empire, but we have a history that predates the Empire's. Such statements are not favorable."

Speaking was the head of Marquisate Peckerez, known for its rich history and tradition in the Kingdom.

"Marquis Peckerez is correct!"

"Yes, indeed. While we may be weaker than the Empire, our history…"

"Our Marus Kingdom has safeguarded these lands for a long time. Therefore…"

Marquis Peckerez initiated the discussion, prompting other nobles to voice their thoughts one by one.

"Silence! Does history feed you?"

But the King ignored the nobles' words.

"The longer history? The moment the Empire decides, that period ends. What's the problem with swallowing your pride and aligning with a stronger nation?"

"They were hostile nations."

Another noble stepped forward in response to the King's words. It was Marquis Backerias, who commanded the military of Marus Kingdom.

"In previous wars, our Kingdom was allied with the Fernes Empire. Our people, including our soldiers, hold grudges against the Karan Empire."

As Marquis Backerias spoke, other nobles nodded in agreement.

Marquis Peckerez, overseeing internal affairs, and Marquis Backerias, commanding the military, represented opposing factions. Yet, they unified in this crucial moment.

And the decision of these nobles…

"What does that matter?"

The King completely disregarded their decision.

"Your Majesty!"

Despite his status as King, such speech was deemed disrespectful.

Marquisate Peckerez, while having a relatively shorter history within the Kingdom, and Marquisate Backerias, a lineage descended from the founders of the nation, had dedicated themselves to Marus Kingdom and its people.

Marquis Backerias, heading the formidable Backerias lineage and commanding the military, rallied numerous nobles under his banner.

In some aspects, Marquis Backerias wielded more influence than the King.

Nevertheless…

"Marquis Backerias, could you remind us of your motto?"

"T-that is…"

The King's abrupt inquiry regarding their motto rendered Marquis Backerias momentarily speechless.

"Why can't you speak? I'll ask again. What is the motto of your lineage?"

"That is…"

After a brief pause, Marquis Backerias, prompted by the King, proceeded to articulate the motto of the Backerias lineage.

"All decisions… are made according to… the orders of the King."

"Yes, that's right. And why is that?"

"I heard it's because the King never makes wrong judgments."

"Indeed. Our Royal Family has never made a wrong decision."

The situation where Kingdoms were forming alliances across the continent was due to the fear of the Empire's dominance.

Yet, Marus Kingdom's King chose to align with the Empire.

"The sentiments of the people? The morale of the soldiers? The pride of the Kingdom? Our Royal Family has never followed such things. There's only one thing we follow."

The King's words evoked memories among the nobles, recalling the Kingdom's true founding legend.

"It's intuition."

Intuition, though it may sound unconventional, was the cornerstone upon which this Kingdom was founded by the Royal Family.

"More accurately, you could call it tightrope walking. Our Royal Family has a good sense of intuition. It's like feeling the flow of things."

The Royal Family consistently exhibited remarkable decision-making prowess during times of crisis.

"During the last war, the Royal Family said we must remain neutral. You and your fathers were different."

Most nobles who participated in the war perished.

The nobles present were either the remaining ones focused on internal affairs or the children of the deceased nobles, still present for the sake of the Kingdom's stability.

"Was I wrong?"

It was a question akin to poking a hornet's nest.

"But…"

"…"

However, the nobles couldn't say a word.

As the King had predicted, under the pressure of the nobles, Marus Kingdom suffered greatly.

If they hadn't succumbed to temptation then, if they had listened to the Royal Family's words…

Marus Kingdom would have maintained its military strength, possibly absorbing defeated Kingdoms into itself. After all, the surrounding nations had fallen under the Fernes Empire's rule.

"Believe it. In the strength of the Royal Family that has safeguarded Marus Kingdom's history."

It was a strength not precisely defined as "power."

However, the King harbored profound faith in this inherent strength.

The other nobles, regardless of their fears, continued on!

"…Understood."

Despite his internal struggle, Marquis Backerias, lips clenched to the point of bleeding, ultimately acquiesced to the Royal Family's directive.

And soon after,

"General! The forces of darkness have appeared in the Kingdom!"

"What? How did the forces of darkness come this far?"

"They fell from the sky."

"What?"

Upon receiving the report, Marquis Backerias was extremely surprised but made a calm judgment.

"Summon the Imperial Army!"

"Yes, sir!"

While neighboring Kingdoms were suddenly overwhelmed by the appearing forces of darkness, Marus Kingdom, considered a weaker nation compared to its neighbors, suffered no losses. This was because it had entered into a military pact with the Empire under the King's command.

"This is the power of the Royal Family…!"

Marquis Backerias felt chills run down his spine.

The forces of darkness were stronger than anticipated.

Though they were few in number, they were formidable opponents, and given time, they could have absorbed local flora and fauna to grow their forces.

Indeed, hadn't the forces of darkness appeared in Kingdoms that had failed to defeat just a few forces?

If Marus Kingdom hadn't made an alliance with the Empire, it would have faced a similar fate.

"Believe it. In the strength of the Royal Family that has safeguarded Marus Kingdom's history."

After that, Marquis Backerias, a stalwart of the noble factions, adhered unwaveringly to the Royal Family's commands, solidifying his reputation as a loyalist until his final breath.

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