I Don’t Need a Guillotine for My Revolution

Chapter 233: 233. Abyssal Holy War – Wave of Despair (2)

Episode 233. Abyssal Holy War – Wave of Despair (2)

The plains below the hill where the gate was constructed.

Thanks to the atmosphere of the Central Continent flowing from the gate connected to Eris's existence, the dense purple mist had noticeably receded.

And our Allied Forces were in a standoff with the army of drones that filled the plains.

The Chasseurs' report was true.

An endless line of what looked to be a million drones were hunched over and lined up, not moving a muscle.

Without even needing to look around, I could feel it in the air that all the soldiers were disheartened by the overwhelming and terrifying sight.

I glanced at the spectacle and headed toward the prepared conference hall.

Abyss Corporation had tampered with the gate we built so we couldn't even close it, and now, having secured a bridgehead to the Central Continent, they had proposed peace negotiations.

It was a completely unexpected situation, and it was obvious they had some other scheme, but we couldn't refuse it.If we were to kick away the peace negotiations they proposed without even listening, the terror of those disheartened soldiers would instantly turn into resentment toward the high command.

A short while after the many leaders, characteristic of the Allied Nations, had taken their seats.

We were able to face the demon who had come as their emissary.

He was wearing strangely feather-like clothes, which was somehow grating.

It reminded me of some pigeon demon bastard.

While I was lost in thought, the demon feigned a noble attitude and spoke.

"I am Stolas, of 'Sloth' Inc., from the Abyss Corporation. It is an honor to meet the renowned members of the Continental Allied Forces."

To think I’d live to hear such words from a demon's mouth.

A bitter laugh almost escaped me.

"I have come to convey the opinion of Commander Paimon of the Abyss Corporation Drone Army."

Paimon, not Baal of the Abyss Corporation?

"You must have come to spout more deception with that treacherous tongue. Speak."

Heinrich I did not hide his displeasure, but Stolas simply smiled and replied.

"Oh, how could I possibly whisper deception to Your Majesty, the King of Krafte, humanity's strongest military nation?"

Heinrich I narrowed his eyes and answered.

"If this army were mine and not the Allied Forces, you would have to worry whether you could return in one piece."

"I'm of the same opinion, King of Krafte! I'm itching to smash that vile demon bastard's face in myself!"

As Kroxx also stepped forward, Stolas finally held up his hands as if he were in a predicament.

"Oh, my apologies for the discourtesy. In that case, I shall briefly deliver only our proposal. We want peace with the nations of the Central Continent."

"Hah."

"Peace, now of all times..."

"Truly? With that many troops?"

Though they had called it a peace negotiation, everyone began to stir at a word they never expected to actually hear from those bastards' mouths.

Stolas leisurely watched the unrest spread among us, and in the end, I was the first to speak.

"What are the conditions?"

We couldn't just pretend the war never happened, and even if they truly wanted peace, the conditions were the problem.

Stolas said with a smile.

"The Allied Forces are to retreat from Abyss Corporation. We only need one thing. We shall have the gate to Francia and its nearby area as a leased territory."

"Hah."

A leased territory. To borrow the land.

It was called borrowing, but it meant handing over the gate to the Central Continent entirely, didn't it?

"You're speaking nonsense. After all the blood we've shed here, you want us to just hand over the result? And a part of Francia's national territory along with it?"

A sharp voice escaped me automatically.

However, Stolas replied with a leisurely smile.

"In return, not only will we not interfere with the safe departure of all Allied Nations through the gate, but we will also guarantee peace."

"That's bullshit not even worth a moment's consideration."

As I retorted, Stolas looked not at me, but at the leaders of the other nations and said.

"This proposal is not exclusively for the Allied Nations as a whole. Abyss Corporation is willing to accept a ceasefire with individual nations as well."

Are these bastards being this blatant?

"Think about it. Is this a war started by the Abyss Corporation? No. Francia started it. They cried for a Holy War through baseless agitation and fabrication, claiming we were a threat to the Central Continent."

"What are you trying to..."

"Countless soldiers of humanity have fallen, shedding their blood on this land. It is a sad thing, and I understand your indignation. But at the same time, we too have lost many of our brothers. It is a sad affair for everyone, so must we really continue this? In truth, most of the nations present here have little to do with the Eastern Empire, do they not? Only one, only Francia, insisted on this war."

Only silence flowed through the conference room.

"We are not demanding peace because we lack power. We have more than enough troops. The army of drones right before you. Well, if you are confident you can fight us and win, we won't stop you, but what can you possibly gain by continuing a war that can be avoided? The blood of your soldiers? The sorrow of their families?"

Hah.

I had to struggle to suppress the urge to draw my sword.

He was, for all intents and purposes, a peace emissary.

If this were a Francia Army camp alone, it might be a different story, but as part of a multi-national alliance, cutting him down on a whim would create a major problem.

Stolas spread his arms and smiled.

"Contrary to your misconception, we too are a reasonable nation that has maintained a long and positive business relationship with the Central Continent. We know that we can coexist without inciting hatred and grudges like this. And we know that you, too, can think as rationally as we do."

Stolas's gaze slowly moved past me and Eris, and—

Toward Lord Eramo, who was leading the survivors of the Paladin Order, he smiled and added.

"Well, with the exception of a few who are buried in excessive hatred or fanaticism."

"Shut up, demon!"

Eramo couldn't hold back and immediately drew his sword, only to flinch at my hand signal.

I looked around at the faces of all the leaders present here.

I didn't have to look far.

Christine.

Eris.

Kroxx.

Heinrich I.

Jill von Leonhardt.

All of them held a firm hostility toward the Abyss Corporation.

Their subordinate commanders might hesitate a little, but as long as the center held firm, we could fight somehow.

"What kind of bullshit are you spouting, you worthless demonic bastard! The gate belongs to our Magic Tower! Who the hell are you to tell us to hand over our treasure!?"

...Even the Magic Tower Master.

I let out an empty laugh and said.

"Unfortunately, we cannot accept such a ridiculous proposal."

"Oh, my. There is no need to make a decision so hastily. We have plenty of time, after all, and the generous Commander Paimon has enough patience to wait for your deliberation."

"We don't need anything of the sort. Go and tell Paimon to prepare for battle."

"Hahaha. As expected of Marquis Lafayette. You show no mercy to demons. Then I shall take my leave."

Damn demon, get lost already. This is annoying.

Why on earth would they waste time with such a pointless proposal...

The moment I thought that, Stolas added with a smile.

"But you will all soon wish to negotiate again. ...I shall see you again in three days."

As soon as Stolas finished speaking, he transformed into an owl and flew up into the sky.

What bullshit is this?

But that thought was brief.

"Hoho, my. I really don't know why he came."

"How can we know the thoughts of demon bastards?"

Just as Stolas retreated and the high command was talking with forced laughter, Giselle Davi rushed in.

"Excuse me! I have an urgent matter to report!"

"Lieutenant Colonel Davi, what is it?"

As everyone's attention focused on her, Giselle Davi swallowed dryly and answered.

"...The soldiers are simultaneously reporting about 'dreams'."

What?

*

It was so sudden that it took some time to grasp the situation.

But once the situation was fully understood, the Allied Forces' high command could no longer laugh off the demons' absurd proposal.

—But you will all soon wish to negotiate again. ...I shall see you again in three days.

Stolas, that damn demon.

So this was the meaning of the words from Paimon's messenger.

Almost all the soldiers of the Allied Forces had begun to have dreams simultaneously.

Dreams that this was a needless fight, and that even the demons wanted peace.

Succubi were appearing in the soldiers' dreams, whispering pleas to end this war now.

They said that the Abyss Corporation was also a reasonable nation, just a different race, and that they had lived for a long time with at least some exchange with the Central Continent.

That they didn't want to incite grudges and hatred, and that the war with the Eastern Empire was merely sparked by a long-standing dispute in the Far East, and that they had no intention of being hostile to the Central Continent.

Even at this moment, Paimon was displaying countless drones on the plains as if for show, maintaining the standoff.

With that, he warned that they had enough power to annihilate us all—

And at the same time, by keeping them all on freeze and not attacking, he whispered in our soldiers' dreams that they did not want any more blood and were waiting for a reply to their peace negotiations.

That this war was not a holy war against a threat to humanity, but merely a war that Francia had incited the continent into.

So, they should no longer shed blood for a war decided by the King and the Council, but leave this island peacefully.

They pleaded and begged, appearing in the form of beautiful women, of lovers left behind in their hometowns, or of family members.

The high command, at least, understood that this was ridiculous nonsense.

They could clearly make the judgment that they had to fight the demons here and now.

But the soldiers on the front lines were different.

The vanguard had already shed much blood and lost countless comrades.

The terror of the drone army, which pushed forward overwhelmingly, never tiring, never breaking, no matter how many they took down, was etched into their minds.

And a large portion of the Allied Forces' main body, which had just crossed over from the continent, was here simply following the orders of their nation or their superiors.

To them, the whisper that they were not fighting a war they wanted, but were simply meeting their deaths in a war the King wanted, slithered in like a snake.

The time of desperate struggle, where they had set foot on the isolated and helpless demon island prepared for death, steeling their resolve time and time again, was fading away all too easily.

Cunningly, and treacherously.

The perception that this was not a holy war to protect humanity, but a war caused by Francia's agitation, was digging into the minds of the Allied soldiers.

Once they delude themselves into thinking it's a needless war, once they shift the blame to Francia.

Once they convince themselves that the countless drones before their eyes are standing still because they truly want peace.

The belief that at least they could return safely from this hellish island to their homeland, to their families.

It didn't take long for such false hope to encroach upon the soldiers, for their morale to plummet to rock bottom.

The three days Stolas had mentioned.

When only two of those days had passed, the leadership of each nation began to request that we seriously discuss the peace negotiations.