novelraw Chapter 135: Iberica - The Defense of Dilrus (1)
Chapter 135: Iberica - The Defense of Dilrus (1)
“Disposed of?”
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
“As I understand it, you comprise seven companies. To say that you, the head of one, would be disposed of, does that mean there's a higher company?”
Gremory shook her head.
“No, not explicitly, but implicitly, yes. CEO Baal of ‘Pride Inc.’, the Great Demon who personally slayed Pandemonium’s Demon King and could have become the new Demon King himself, instead established Abyss Corporation.”
“……So that demon has enough authority and power to cut down a CEO or two.”
Gremory gave a slight nod.
“Yes, although he only wields that power for now in accordance with Abyss Corporation's regulations.”
I looked at Gremory silently.
What is this demon thinking?“I don't know if that’s true or false, but what if I try to confirm it by reporting to Abyss Corporation?”
At that, Gremory smiled slightly.
“If you do that, instead of the half-baked demon who is ‘at least’ favorable to humans and might even cooperate with you, Marquis, a ‘more demonic’ CEO more to Abyss Corporation's liking will take charge of Lust Inc., no?”
“Heh.”
If Gremory wasn’t deceiving me, it would be a shame if this succubus were disposed of because I carelessly tested her.
Seeing Paimon’s state, it was doubtful if there could even be a better CEO than this succubus.
It was possible that she was intentionally spreading false information to deceive me and make me think that way...
Even though the puzzle pieces fit, my continued suspicion gave me a strange sense of revulsion, as if I were like the Republic that had been indiscriminately hostile to me and Christine.
Amidst the ever-rising suspicion that the succubus herself had induced that feeling, I finally asked what I had been wanting to ask.
“I can’t understand it. Yes, as you said, humans sometimes value their livestock. But they would rarely risk their lives for it. What makes you so confident to do this?”
Gremory brought a hand to her lips and let out a ‘hmmm-‘ sound, tilting her head slightly before straightening it and speaking.
“You might get angry, Marquis.”
“I think I'll definitely get angry if you drag this out any longer.”
At that, Gremory chuckled, then her expression grew serious as she spoke.
“For a succubus to sneak into a dream means seeing a part of that person’s subconscious.”
I froze at that. Come to think of it, this demon had recreated Christine almost perfectly.
I had only noticed because of a detail that could only be recreated by knowing Christine's inner world.
“You were quite difficult to understand, Marquis. It felt like something was jumbled up, things that didn’t make sense were connected?”
“You……”
How much did she see? Even the fact that I ‘returned’?
As I fell into deep thought, Gremory said something else.
“Things that don’t make sense are connected, but there is Divine Power at work in the center of it all, so I couldn’t see it properly.”
“What did you say?”
At that, it was Gremory’s turn to blink her eyes.
“Marquis, haven't you experienced something unnatural through Divine Power? Is it possible you don't know?”
An unnatural event—I had experienced one: Regression. But that was caused by Divine Power?
“……I have no idea.”
Gremory tilted her head, puzzled, but then shrugged and spoke again.
“Well. I don't know either, but I can at least tell that a being with stronger Divine Power than me did it. In any case, I took a peek at your subconscious, Marquis. Since it was done without your permission, I apologize, though it’s a little late.”
“How shameless.”
Gremory stuck out her tongue slightly and remarked.
“Shamelessness is a demon’s virtue.”
Then her expression changed, and she added with a serious face.
“From what I’ve seen, I judged that you, Marquis, would try to use me to take a slightly better path, rather than get rid of me out of useless curiosity.”
“……Ha.”
Hearing it put so bluntly like this made me feel a strange sense of rebellion.
At that, Gremory placed a hand on her chest, and with a slightly pitiful expression, she asked.
“Even a succubus is trying to help humans by taking such a risk, but you just keep doubting me, Marquis, so I’m very sad. If you cannot believe my sincerity, can you not at least believe me, a succubus? A world full of emotionless puppet Drones, a succubus cannot survive in such a world~.”
I became very disturbed at the sight of Gremory, who seemed to be half-clinging to me.
On the surface, she looked like a woman genuinely saddened because I didn't believe her, but she's a succubus who admitted with her own mouth that she intentionally acts like an airhead to seem harmless.
Even now, she was subtly doing it to lower my guard.
Meanwhile, the information that Divine Power was related to my regression, something I hadn't even heard from Eris the Saintess, was unsettling a corner of my mind.
But I don’t have any other alternatives.
I finally let out a sigh and answered.
“Alright, we have a deal.”
Gremory smiled brightly, her eyes shining as she exclaimed.
“A wise choice! I will treat you really well!”
Treat me well how? Isn't she doing this on purpose?
*
Time passed quickly.
During that time, I wrote and sent letters to Christine, Talleyrand, and Eris about the situation in the Iberian Peninsula and my well-being; meanwhile, the 2,000-strong rearguard led by Nicolas Nere and Jerome Morelle also arrived.
But the war situation was not good.
Kroxx and I frowned as we looked at a map of the entire Iberian Peninsula.
“These bastards, their aim is too obvious.”
Hearing my words, Kroxx grimaced, the corners of his mouth twitching around his massive fangs as he spat.
“Traitors who cling to demons……”
To defend against the Drones, Kroxx summoned troops from other fronts to Dilrus. As soon as he did, the cooperating tribes and forces from Port Harbor, who had been holed up in their respective dens, launched a new offensive.
They gnawed away at the Brothers of Iberica's territory from the outskirts.
Kroxx's subordinates fought hard, but the situation was difficult, with a 5,000-troop gap in their forces and the Drones occupying Ciudad, forming a salient.
Faced with widespread attacks, Kroxx's subordinates were continuously pushed back. The commonality in all the offensives pushing our allies back was clear.
The offensives were designed to herd the retreating armies and residents toward Dilrus. Thanks to that, the streets of Dilrus were now filled with refugees.
This was no doubt the demons’ directive.
They planned to drive all of Kroxx's brothers into Dilrus, then conquer Dilrus and capture all the residents at once.
I frowned slightly and said.
“Is there an area where we can evacuate the residents?”
But Kroxx shook his head.
“Northern Iberica is barren, with little land where residents can live, and even less that can accommodate a large number of people in winter without preparation. Feeding the residents who have flocked to Dilrus now is only possible thanks to the help of Francia and you, my brother.”
“……I see.”
Dilrus, at least, had a well-paved road to Bilbao, the northern trade port, making it possible to transport and distribute food imported from Francia.
But if the residents were to be spread out across the vast lands of the north, even that would be difficult.
“If that's the case, is this checkmate?”
In the end, we had no choice but to fight a defensive battle in Dilrus, holding onto the residents somehow.
Fortunately, Dilrus has a giant fortress, built by a certain greedy Orc, so it’s perfect for a defensive battle.
“Right now they’re in the city streets, but the problem is that once the attack begins and all the residents are accommodated in the fortress, the food won't last very long……”
I resolved Kroxx's concern.
“They won't choose the option of besieging us and starving us out.”
“Hmm?”
“These are enemies who waged a battle inefficiently avoiding killing, just to capture people alive. Rather than letting the residents they herded into Dilrus to capture be trapped in the fortress, starve, and get sick, they would want to capture them whole and quickly.”
“Ha! How arrogant!”
Kroxx slammed his fists on the desk with a bang.
Watching the muscles writhe and dance on the mighty Orc's forearms, I could tell the extent of his anger.
After trembling with anger for a moment, Kroxx seemed to have calmed down. He stroked his fangs and asked.
“But why are the enemies still lingering near Ciudad?”
“It seems they’re patching up the problems from the first battle.”
“Hmm, I see. Countess Aquitaine's skills are impressive, Brother.”
Hearing Kroxx's words, I just gave a slight smile.
That information, including the fact that they wouldn't choose to besiege us, came from Gremory.
Christine’s spy network doesn't extend to Iberica, but I couldn't exactly say I heard it from a demon.
As a brief silence fell, Kroxx spoke.
“I have no words, Brother.”
“Suddenly?”
Kroxx gave a bitter smile.
“I confidently boasted that we would unify Iberica with our own strength, but now that we're cornered, I have nothing to say. You are also responsible for your own people, so if you must retreat, tell me.”
“……”
I never thought I would hear such words from that confident and high-spirited Orc.
“But Kroxx, you answered my call in the middle of a war and rushed over with your army.”
He could have ignored that request and created a more advantageous situation in Iberica, but because Kroxx came at our most desperate moment, we were able to defeat Grand Duke Leopold.
“At that time, I said I owed you a debt. I came here to repay that debt, but to leave simply because your situation is difficult……”
I chose my words for a moment, but concluded that there were no more fitting words than these, and said them out loud.
“Then, wouldn't our side be more fittingly called the barbarians?”
Kroxx’s lips twitched, and he burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! You are right, Brother! This is embarrassing! It seems this Kroxx still has a long way to go!”
“Besides, I am not staying for purely emotional reasons. The threat from the demons is clear and blatant. If we stand by and watch you fall, there is no guarantee that Francia won’t be next.”
I picked up the demon-shaped piece that was on Ciudad on the map, and then placed it down with a slam.
“If that's the case, we will crush them here, before Francia is engulfed in the flames of war. That is my judgment as Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army. Of course, separate from that, I will be properly collecting on this debt, so you be prepared too.”
“That's what I was hoping for! The Brothers of Iberica will forever remember your generosity in accepting us, when everyone else called us barbarians, and your devotion in standing with us at such a dangerous moment! When you need our help, this Kroxx promises to give you all the help I can!”
I smiled at the boasting Kroxx.
Above all, I had something to rely on as well.
I couldn't trust it 100%, but it was a gamble worth taking, wasn't it?
If I can just deal a blow to those demons who fatten themselves by sacrificing our misfortune and treating us like insects, and break this chain of tragedy, then I can believe a succubus just this once.
“Then, Kroxx, King of the Brothers of Iberica. Are you prepared to risk everything and gamble to protect your freedom and the freedom of your people?”
Kroxx grinned, and replied with a great shout that made the room ring.
“I and the Brothers of Iberica have sworn to win our freedom from the demons, so there is no one here who will flee before the enemy!”
I gave him a nod.
The stakes were the capital city of Dilrus and the countless people of Iberica gathered there.
“Alright. Then, I will explain the outline of the operation.”
To defeat the demons against whom no one would dare guarantee victory.
Let us begin a gamble that we must never fail.