Chapter 312: Black Corpse - The Demon King Seems to Conquer the World

New chapter of Demon King is out (1/2 chapters)

The combined forces of the Hou Household army and the Royal Guards advanced north along the highway leading to the royal capital, where they stood off against the allied army of the Rube Household and the Papal States.

That said, “stood off” didn’t mean they were lining up in battle formation facing each other on the day of war. Using a large post town along the highway as their headquarters, the Hou Household’s army was split into two, combined with the Royal Guards, and a three-shift system was put in place to remain on alert, ensuring they wouldn’t be caught off-guard if the enemy moved. Not only in the harvested fields, but also in the nearby logging areas, tents had been pitched to fill the gaps between the stumps.

After completing my daily reconnaissance flight, I entered a civilian home in the post town.

“Your Excellency!” (Soldiers)

The gathered generals, who had been discussing things around a dining table in an otherwise ordinary house, all stood up and saluted in unison. The reason we were holding the meeting in such a place was because the enemy possessed falcons. If we gathered at the same location every time, it could become a target. It’d be stupid if a warhead suddenly crashed through the roof and set the entire military leadership ablaze. Still, we couldn’t avoid meeting and discussing.

“Stand easy. It’s postponed again today.” (Yuri)

“However, Your Excellency…!” (Dimitri)

Dimitri raised an unusually forceful protest. I ignored his objection and sat down on the sofa.

“It’s postponed.” (Yuri)

I understood why Dimitri was getting impatient. Morale didn’t last forever. The soldiers’ “We’re gonna do this!” spirit, once made to “Hold on a sec,” and wait for several days, would scatter like mist. It wasn’t that Dimitri was bloodthirsty. Rather, he was concerned about the condition of the troops to be deployed in the decisive battle.

“The enemy wants to fight quickly too. Defenders are the ones who suffer more from prolonged tension. We’ll wait until the conditions are right. It won’t take long.” (Yuri)

I repeated what I had said yesterday, albeit with different wording. In fact, Liao’s side, having no idea when the enemy might attack, was under much harsher conditions. Those on the offensive could rest to some degree, but defenders couldn’t afford to.

“…Understood.” (Dimitri)

“What I’m waiting for isn’t something that difficult. In fact, it’s rare for things to be like this during this season.” (Yuri)

There was nothing to be done, it was just bad luck.

“Excuse me!” (Messenger)

Suddenly, the door burst open. A messenger with a white armband entered.

“So, this is where you were.” (Messenger)

Since our meeting place changed each time and the house was hard to distinguish, he had probably gone around to a few places. The messenger looked slightly surprised.

“A report from the Royal Guards’ reconnaissance unit.” (Messenger)

“Did the enemy move?” (Officer)

One of the gathered officers asked eagerly. But the mood didn’t feel that way. If it had been so, the messenger would have been more agitated. He had a composed, businesslike air.

“No. They recovered something from the enemy. They would like Your Excellency to check it immediately.” (Messenger)

“I see. I’ll go right away.” (Yuri)

I stood up from the sofa.

“Sorry, but stay on standby. Keep training the new recruits who answered the draft, just enough so they don’t die.” (Yuri)

“Hah!” (Dimitri)

Dimitri responded sharply.

—

As I dismounted from the Galloping Bird, Dolla approached me with a tense expression.

Following closely behind her, like a goldfish poop, was Guillaume.

“Yuri. Come this way.” (Dola)

Saying only that, Dola started walking ahead without waiting.

What did they recover?

Without saying a word, I followed Dolla. He looked unusually serious.

“We’ve isolated the reconnaissance team. I thought we should impose a gag order until your judgment was made.” (Guillaume)

Guillaume spoke as we walked.

“According to the report, during their usual patrol, a riderless carriage came down the highway.” (Guillaume)

Horses were intelligent creatures. As long as there was a clear road, they could turn on their own even without direction from a rider or coachman. Unless they were especially temperamental or agitated, they wouldn’t ignore the road and charge straight into the forest. It must have been deliberately released mid-way to be sent toward us.

“And then, when they opened the cover…” (Guillaume)

“Guillaume!” (Dolla)

Dolla raised his voice sharply.

“Shut up. He’ll understand once he sees it.” (Guillaume)

What the hell… What was inside that thing?

Growing uneasy, I followed behind the two, who had fallen silent, and soon arrived at the site of the reconnaissance team in question. All lightly equipped, they were huddled close, tending to the Galloping Birds. Among them was a black packhorse, and a short distance away stood the now-unhitched carriage.

At the front, Dolla suddenly stopped walking. Then, he grabbed Guillaume’s collar from behind and forcefully halted him as well.

“…That’s it.” (Dola)

He stated the obvious and remained where he was. It seemed he wanted me to go alone.

Leaving the two behind, I stepped forward and opened the carriage cover. The first thing I saw was a freshly severed head, as if it had just been lopped off this morning. The face of a dead man changed, but this one was instantly recognizable.

It was Karno, a man we had loaned as a strategist to the Noza Household. Rather than a strategist, he had been dispatched more as an overseer.

They killed him.

A boiling rage rose from the pit of my stomach.

That bastard. He went and killed the man we had lent him.

Beside it, rotten severed heads were lined up. They had been placed in open wooden boxes, with daggers stabbed into the eye sockets. When I looked closely at the hilts, I noticed an engraved family crest I recognized. It was the crest of the Mori Household. Vito Mori. The old man we had left behind on the battlefield with the cannons.

So, it was no good after all.

All strength drained from my body, and I slumped.

He was killed.

Judging by the many other boxes containing heads with daggers pierced through their eyes, these must also be the old men we had left behind. A few were missing, but the implication was clear.

To defile corpses… how very like the Papal States.

And then, the last thing I saw was a pitch-black, charred corpse. Cracks in the body revealed glimpses of red flesh. Quite small for a man.

…I’m no expert on burned bodies, but do humans shrink when they’re burned?

What stood out was the pose of arms raised like in a banzai gesture. When the Papal States burned people crucified on crosses, this was how their bodies ended up. They did it on the battlefield to incite fervor in their troops.

On the burned corpse’s face lay a piece of paper about the size of a palm. It had been pinned into the eye socket with a pen that had a black shaft.

‘To the wings that bore the Demon King’s advance, we solemnly return the Grand Chancellor.’

I couldn’t comprehend the meaning of the Terol language written on it.

“Grand Chancellor.”

A chancellor is one who handles domestic affairs, and “Grand” was added as a prefix.

No way.

A part of my mind refused to accept the meaning, clashing with the part trying to process and accept reality. Confusion, like a system failure, consumed my awareness.

I couldn’t stay standing.

Why? Did Liao kill her? That’s insane…

I realized then that I had unconsciously excluded that possibility.

There’s no way he would kill Myaro. He might try to win her over. He might court her persistently. In some cases, maybe even act with force…

But to kill her? Never. That, I believed. And I was the fool who couldn’t even detect his betrayal. It’s possible. If the Papal States knew that Myaro was with him, demanding her death would have been their first request.

No…

She’s dead? Killed?

No. No. No.

But the situation confirmed the reality I wanted to reject.

This…? This burned, melted corpse is supposed to be Myaro…?

“Aa… aa…” (Yuri)

A voice came out of my mouth. Tears welled up and overflowed from my tear ducts.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was wrong. I knew how you felt. And still, I gave you nothing in return, just shoved work on you… and got you killed.

I clung to the carbonized remains of Myaro and wept in anguish.

—

After stepping away from the carriage, I began to walk. My legs tangled as if I had forgotten how to walk. As I staggered forward in a daze, someone grabbed my shoulder. From the opposite side, Dolla firmly supported me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

“What now?” (Dolla)

Dolla said only that, short and sharp. When I looked into his eyes, they were burning with fury.

Ah, she knows. That’s right, Guillaume can read Terol. Of course he can.

“Do we go?” (Dolla)

If I said “Yeah” here, Dola would mount her Galloping Bird and take off. He would turn the cavalry into a single thrusting spear and pierce the enemy with that rage. But we couldn’t do that.

“We don’t. Wait.” (Yuri)

Just one more condition had to be met. Attacking now would only play into the enemy’s hands.

“You’re not angry after seeing that? Don’t go soft on me now.” (Guillaume)

The voice came from beside me. I gripped Guillaume’s shoulder hard. My thumb sank in deep.

Guillaume’s face twisted in pain.

“You think… you think I’m not angry?” (Yuri)

When I asked, Guillaume’s expression froze, and he silently shook his head. When I let go, Dolla, sensing I no longer needed his support, stepped away.

“Place a gag order on the reconnaissance unit. Do not pass this information to anyone except the three of us, not even to Dimitri. The carriage arrived on the day of battle. That’s the official story.” (Yuri)

Saying that, I added,

“I want to be alone for a while. Tell headquarters I’m not returning.” (Yuri)

I turned my back to the two of them.

I hated everything. Absolutely everything.

So, what if we win? Myaro isn’t here to celebrate with me. The comrade who promised to build a new nation by my side is gone. Trying to build a nation alone is just empty.

The strong wind blowing down from the mountains brushed my tear-soaked cheeks with a biting chill.

—

TLN:

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