Chapter 85: Omen of the Decisive Battle

After a rather unenjoyable lunch meeting—

We continued our training with Aldebaran and her group throughout the afternoon, pushing our bodies until the sky turned red.

Over the course of the whole day, it became clear that among Aldebaran’s party, the blond guy stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of strength.

In terms of combat capability, the order within Aldebaran’s party seemed to be: blond Inon, middle-aged spearman Razika, and then the younger sister Irine.

And towering far above them all stood Aldebaran herself.

“Alright, time for the formal introduction.”

“Yeah.”

After training, it was finally time to meet the national army.

We returned to the church—specifically, the Macro Church Aldebaran had rented—washed up, and changed into formalwear that Yowin had prepared for us.

Even Aldebaran, naturally, was dressed in full formal attire. It seemed she had more sense in these matters than Karl.

“Then, follow me.”

Led by her, we passed through the Iron Castle Gates at the very end of the capital, Pedia, and stepped into the noble district.

Despite being a noble myself, I had never entered this area before.

“…Aldebaran-san, may I ask where exactly we’re headed?”

“To the royal palace. Lord Garius and the generals of the national army are scheduled to receive us there.”

“T-The royal palace, huh…”

Apparently, Aldebaran had been summoned by Lord Garius for tonight.

Since this was under the pretext of introducing her to the national army, all her party members were ordered to attend.

We ended up joining at the last minute, but since we were considered part of Aldebaran’s party, it shouldn't be a problem.

However, she did tell us to give Lord Garius a proper report on what happened in Anat.

…That’s probably going to be my job, isn’t it?

Meeting royalty… My stomach already hurts.

“…So, these national army generals—are we going to be meeting other high-ranking nobles along with Lord Garius?”

“Yes, it seems quite a few nobles are expected to attend.”

“Ugh…”

It wasn’t just Lord Garius—apparently, a decent number of nobles were going to be there too.

Let’s hope the review session we did in Yowin pays off.

“Hehe, no need to be so nervous. The supreme commander has been appointed—my father, Romero McCune. In other words, someone from my own family.”

“Well then, congratulations on the appointment.”

I see. The one appointed as the national army’s supreme commander was the head of the McCune family, who still serves as the captain of the royal guard.

Not thrilling, but a reasonable pick.

“Please don’t offer congratulations, Lady Irine. My father and I… don’t exactly get along.”

“…You don’t get along?”

“Not at all. Well, you know.”

Blondie narrowed his already-slender eyes even more and let out a creepy chuckle.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Father’s face. That man once yelled, ‘There’s no such thing as a Demon King!’ and disowned me…”

“Ah.”

“He didn’t believe a single word Ald said…”

So, the blond’s father is the stubborn type.

I’ve heard that old-school warrior nobles tend to disown people on a whim.

To think he’d disown a swordsman as skilled as Inon… The man must be intense.

“Quite the contrast to Irine’s father.”

“Oh? And how did House Welmund respond?”

“Count Welmund believed me. Not only did he give us travel expenses, he even let Irine accompany me.”

“…That’s honestly kind of enviable.”

Well, that was because her dad trusted my lie-detecting ability.

Speaking of disowning… what about Ilya? She ran away from home without permission. If anyone deserves to be disowned, it’s her.

“Ilya, have you still not told your father anything?”

“Ugh…”

Never mind the McCune situation—having a noble daughter run off to be an adventurer is a serious problem.

Papa might be super kind, but normally this would be grounds for disownment. In fact, I have no idea what judgment he’ll pass on Ilya.

I really don’t want to see my little sister fall into commoner status.

“I’ll also put in a word for you, so at the very least, write him a letter. That’s the proper thing to do, Ilya.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am…”

“And apologize properly to Sara. Burdening your servant with your personal whims—how disgraceful for a noble.”

“…Ugh. Y-Yes, ma’am…”

It’s one thing to set off on your own—but having a commoner like Sara handle all your needs on the road? That’s just wrong.

She’s still young and probably at the age when marriage would be expected—what does he think Sara’s life is worth?

“Lady Irine, I find endless joy in serving Lady Ilya in any way I can.”

“Ah, Sara, thank you. Having you here must have truly helped my sister.”

Sara is kind to say that, but we can’t just rely on her so much.

“Ugh… ugh…”

“What are you groaning about, Ilya?”

“Well, it’s like… how should I put it… pretending to be innocent, I guess…”

“...?”

After being scolded, my sister had a rather awkward look on her face.

Hey, pull yourself together and truly reflect on this.

---

"The Hero's party, now entering!"

After entering the royal palace, we were led by a soldier to the grand hall.

When the doors opened, what greeted us was a dazzling banquet venue lined with several tables, already laid out with extravagant, luxurious dishes.

"A bow to the Hero!"

At the command, nobles dressed in ornate formalwear all performed a noble’s bow toward us in unison. I hurriedly returned the gesture.

Ah, okay. This is the real deal.

"All present—prostrate yourselves!"

"At once!"

Still stunned, having not been told any details about the party, I watched as a soldier stationed on the platform at the front of the hall barked another order.

At his words, the servants dropped to all fours and began performing the deepest form of reverence.

The nobles attending the banquet also swiftly dropped to one knee and bowed low.

This… is one of those moments where being late could get you in serious trouble. I glanced around at the rest of the group, then followed suit—dropping to one knee and lowering my head.

For commoners, the deepest bow means full prostration. For nobles, it’s kneeling on one knee with head bowed. That’s what’s considered the highest form of respect here.

Damn, I should’ve explained this to Karl and the others beforehand.

…Ah, good. Karl’s reading the room and prostrating properly.

The rest of the group seems to be shifting smoothly into the appropriate posture, too.

"The King approaches!"

And finally—it came.

Among us are people like the daughter of House Welmund, and the instructor from House McCune. Quite the distinguished group.

If someone is making us show this level of deference, it can only mean royalty.

I figured it might be Lord Garius… but no. It's the King himself.

"All, attend and listen!"

───The highest authority in this nation has arrived.

---

"...You may raise your heads."

While I stood there, forehead slightly damp with nervous sweat, we were finally granted permission to look up.

When I timidly lifted my gaze, I saw a silver-streaked man of dignified age seated with arms crossed, Garius standing just behind him.

So that's... the King.

"...Garius."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The King called Garius’s name softly, then closed his eyes.

───At that command, Lord Garius stepped forward to face us.

"Hero Aldebaran, we are grateful for your presence. Your decision to join this campaign is deeply appreciated."

"...It is an honor."

"And to think Hero Karl would come as well—I hadn’t had the chance to commend you yet, but your achievements in Yowin are immeasurable."

The royal presence is overwhelming. Even Aldebaran, of all people, sounds a little tense, his voice slightly wavering.

Garius alone already had quite an imposing presence...

"We of the Pedia Empire welcome you all."

"We are honored."

"...Tonight, this gathering was arranged so that you may witness the strength of our proud Pedia army firsthand."

With that, Lord Garius snapped his fingers.

At the signal, the servants stepped forward toward the gongs.

"Let us introduce our mighty warriors, paragons of valor... Your Majesty."

"Very well."

At Garius’s words, the King rose to his feet.

He lifted one hand—and a deep, resounding gong echoed through the grand hall.

"The Three Generals of Pedia—step forward!"

"...The Three Generals of Pedia?"

O-oh. So they have three generals?

I’d heard of them before. In times of war, this country appoints three champions—each with distinct roles—as the 'Three Generals of Pedia' to safeguard the realm.

Last time, during the war against the foreign tribes, the positions went to a ‘Swordsman,’ a ‘Mage,’ and a ‘Tactician.’

The three supported one another through the thick of battle, covering each other's weaknesses and driving out the invaders—or so the stories go.

By the way, the original Lord Welmund earned his title as Count by serving in that war as a low-ranking soldier and distinguishing himself in battle.

"The expert in strategy and diplomacy: Marquis Rituart."

"Y-y-yes, pleased to meet you."

Introduced by Garius, a long-haired woman gave a deep, respectful bow. Hmm. So a tactician again this time.

She seems a bit unlucky in the aura she gives off, but also very sharp—a smart-looking woman.

"Master of magic swordplay: Count McCune."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Next stood a nobleman with slit eyes, a gold beard, and a suspiciously cheerful smile.

Ah, looks a bit older now, but that face is unmistakable. This guy’s definitely Goldie Inon’s father.

"Senior expert in advanced magic: Count Welmund."

"Hahaha, delighted."

...

"These three shall fight alongside the Heroes to cut down evil as the ‘Blades’ of the Empire."

"O-ohh...?"

"Tonight, eat, drink, and enjoy each other's company to the fullest."

With that, the King raised his goblet in a toast.

Almost at the same moment, servants handed us each a glass of wine.

"───A toast to our Heroes!!"

With that rousing call, everyone present raised their cups in unison with the King.

Thus began the banquet of the highest powers in the land.

---

There was a name I couldn't quite ignore—but first, I went over to greet Lord Garius.

I had to report what happened in Anat.

"I see… So that’s how it was."

I gave a full, honest account of the events from a few days ago.

That Ilyu, whom we had thought a comrade, turned out to be the Demon King.

That she stole my power as a Hero.

"I'm ashamed to say I journeyed with the Demon King without realizing it."

"No, you did well to report this. Hero Yury, was it? I’ll have the archives searched immediately."

Lord Garius listened with a grim expression.

At first, I thought he might be angry that we let the Demon King escape.

────No. That wasn’t it. Garius was listening to Ilyu’s past and quietly seething with a fury he had no outlet for.

"You’ve been through something painful."

"Yes… It must have been incredibly painful for her. In a way, we humans were the ones who created her."

"No, I mean you and your comrades. …This is without question a legacy of sin left behind by the former royal family. The royal house owes you an apology."

Garius said that—and bowed to us.

After that, we shared every piece of information we knew with Garius.

That the Demon King was, in truth, a Hero of the Sefa faith.

That she wasn’t a combat mage, but a support spellcaster who couldn’t even use attack magic.

And that Yury was, above all, a kind and gentle woman.

"Irine Welmund. Don’t burden yourself too heavily with this."

"…Yes."

"Lady Yury… no, Demon King Yury chose to stand with the demons. No matter how great a former Hero she was, no matter if she was a victim—this was her decision."

Garius continued, still watching me carefully, and slowly shook his head.

"She had another path. She could’ve turned her back on the demons and reached out to humanity once more, choosing to live alongside us."

"…"

"But she didn’t abandon them. She chose to accept the extinction of mankind. In that case—"

Garius’s voice sharpened, his gaze now deliberately cold.

"We cannot accept demons who prey on humanity."

"…You're right."

"Yury made her choice—to bring ruin to humanity. Then there’s no room for sympathy. We face her with everything we have."

Garius’s stance was one of total resistance.

It was a harsh truth, but for the sake of protecting the nation, it was undeniably the most rational course.

"I look forward to your efforts, Irine von Welmund."

"Thank you."

"Now, go and introduce yourself to the Three Generals. Count Welmund, in particular, was eager to meet you."

"Y-yes, sir."

And so, I finished my report to Lord Garius.

After offering a bow, I returned to my seat.

To the seat where my father was waiting.

---

“Ilya really is a handful. I had a feeling, what with how attached she is to her sister… but I didn’t think she’d actually run off after you.”

“Yes, I was surprised as well. I never imagined she’d leave the house without a word.”

My father wore the same troubled smile as always.

The same gentle expression he had when I first left home—it hadn’t changed at all.

“…Ah…”

Next to him, Ilya sat hunched over, her face downcast.

She clearly felt guilty.

“Um… Father. I…”

“Hahaha! Even I’m a little mad at you, Ilya. Do you have any idea how much trouble it took to track you down?”

“Uu… ngh…”

“You’d best be prepared for a proper punishment. But don’t worry—I’d never abandon you.”

It seemed Ilya had already gotten a stern talking-to.

Well, that’s fair. Even I felt like giving her a lecture.

---

Still… General Welmund, huh? Father really has risen through the ranks.

When I asked him again for the details, it turned out that, despite not being considered one of the empire’s top noble houses, the reason Papa was appointed as one of the Three Generals came down to one thing: our house’s pure military strength.

Apparently, ever since hearing from Karl about the Demon King's return, Father had quietly and steadily been expanding our military forces. Thanks to that, he now commands a fairly sizable army.

And while there are plenty of military nobles, only a handful can wield advanced magic like the Spirit Cannon. Papa just so happens to be among them—a top-tier battle mage fully capable of using it.

Combine that with our family's historical prestige as a once-prominent martial household, and the decision was clear. Altogether, it earned Father a sudden promotion to Great General.

---

So… General Welmund. Father’s really come a long way.

When I asked him more about it, he explained that, despite not being one of the major noble houses, the reason Papa was appointed as one of the Three Generals was due to our house’s pure military strength.

Ever since hearing from Karl about the Demon King’s return, Father had quietly been expanding his forces bit by bit. Thanks to that, he had managed to build up a respectable army under his command.

And while there are plenty of military nobles, only a select few are capable of wielding high-level magic like the Spirit Cannon. Papa is one of those elite—a top-class battle mage who can handle it with ease.

That, combined with the legacy of our family as a former warrior clan, led to Father being handpicked for the position of Great General.

“The McCune family’s a general house too, aren’t they? Though we’ve had our fair share of friction with them.”

“Don’t dwell on old feuds. Heh, our family’s always been more comfortable living quietly in the countryside than scrambling for power.”

“Lord McCune’s appointment makes sense, but yours, Father, was quite the unexpected promotion. Aren’t you worried about resentment?”

“Oh, I’m sure there’ll be plenty. It’s a headache, honestly.”

When the topic turned to envy, Father’s expression turned weary.

As it turns out, when he was first offered the post of Great General, he actually considered turning it down out of concern. He didn’t think our house had enough influence to lead others and felt the role would be better suited to one of the major noble families.

But after hearing about the sorry state of the other noble armies from Lord Garius, he decided to accept.

“Apparently, we were the only ones who showed up with a real fighting force. The other nobles barely managed to bring a hundred poorly trained troops. Some even arrived without armor or weapons, just by themselves.”

“…That’s… honestly hard to believe.”

And yet, it made sense.

In the end, our House Welmund was the only one to field a force worthy of being called an actual army.

“…And even so, the territories managed to stay protected?”

“Most towns have enjoyed long years of peace. As long as they had enough men to maintain local security, it was enough.”

Father had responded to Lord Garius’s summons by marching to the capital with around a thousand soldiers. Considering that in the last war most houses brought several thousand men, this was a reasonable figure for a house of our size.

But ever since the war with the foreign tribes ended, decades of peace had followed. In such times, few houses were able to muster a force that quickly, let alone in just half a month.

“Most of the others cobbled together what they could by pulling guards off their patrols. That’s how they barely managed those numbers.”

“Well… If you’re suddenly told to mobilize, it’s not easy to respond right away.”

Thanks to the warning from Karl, Father had more time to prepare than the others.

That’s why, among the houses that answered Garius’s summons, ours became the largest military presence in the capital.

“To be honest, commanding this many people into battle really isn’t my style. But when Lord Garius puts his trust in you, it’s hard to say no.”

“Yes… I understand.”

“I’d really like it if you and the others joined my army too. But I can’t go stealing away the great Hero’s party.”

With a gentle smile, Father reached out and rubbed mine and Ilya’s heads.

“I don’t need you to distinguish yourselves. Just don’t die. Come back home, both of you.”

“…Yes. I understand.”

So… Papa’s going to be fighting on the battlefield too.

That means—we can’t afford to lose. If we slip up, even Father could be killed.

“Alright, let’s go greet the other houses. Let’s start with someone we don’t want trouble with… the McCunes, maybe?”

“Yes, that sounds───”

I’ll be fighting on the front lines alongside Karl and Aldebaran.

Behind me are the people I need to protect—our citizens, and my family.

With our resolve renewed and our bond reaffirmed, we rose from our seats to greet Lord McCune and his son────

“────Urgent report!! Urgent report!!”

A soldier’s voice rang out through the banquet hall.

We froze in place.

“What’s going on?”

“Please—look outside! Please, look out the window!!”

The soldier, sweat streaming down his forehead, shouted toward the king in panic.

Look out the window. Following his frantic plea, I stepped toward the glass and turned my eyes toward the city────

────A massive silhouette was projected against the night sky, shrouded in darkness.

“What… is that…?”

“The sky—it’s being devoured by the dark!”

A wave of unrest rippled through the banquet hall. Understandably so—an unknown darkness had begun to engulf the city.

“…Spirits…”

It seemed no one else could see it clearly, but I could. I could see exactly what was happening.

Spirits. An impossible number of them, swirling joyfully, weaving the darkness together and painting it across the night sky.

Which could only mean one thing—that this was no natural phenomenon. It was a spell. A massive magical illusion.

“…Ah.”

I don’t know who whispered that first.

But that quiet gasp triggered a shift.

The silhouette began to take on color and shape,

and then—

『Kusukusu…』

A laugh echoed, soft and mischievous.

Gradually, the image sharpened until a familiar woman’s figure became visible against the night sky.

She smiled.

A playful, mocking smile, her voice echoing throughout the entire city.

The face projected in the sky belonged to none other than────

“…Ilyu!! That damn—!”

“No… don’t tell me, that’s────”

The Demon King of this era.

The fallen saint with a sorrowful smile—Yury herself.

『Good evening, humans. I hope you’ll pardon the late hour.』

Her clear, ringing voice sounded distant, like it was coming through a speaker.

『I am the Demon King. You may call me Demon King Yury. I look forward to your acquaintance.』

She spoke calmly, gazing down upon the city from the heavens.

And in her eyes—there was no mistaking it—hostility burned.

『Let’s get to the point, shall we? Ah, such a pity, truly.』

Her tone was theatrical, like she was narrating a monologue or singing a bittersweet ballad.

And then, with hands clasped as if in prayer, she made her declaration to the capital.

『At dawn, three days from now… my Demon King’s Army will begin its invasion of the capital.』

…It was a declaration of war.

Yury had just openly announced the time and date of her invasion—right in front of us.

“What did she say?!”

“Three days from now?! That’s barely any time at all!”

“Wait—don’t be so quick to believe it! She’s the enemy, after all!”

As the nobles at the banquet erupted in a frenzy of voices, I kept my eyes on her face.

No. She’s not lying. Ilyu… she’s not the kind of woman who would lie about something like this.

『Run, if you value your lives. We won’t chase those who flee.』

Unbothered by the panic spreading through the hall, Yury continued her speech in the same calm, gentle tone.

『I grant you three days. Anyone still in the capital after that will be treated as an enemy and slaughtered without mercy.』

『We won’t listen to pleas for mercy. We don’t want your surrender or submission.』

『Humans, to us… you are nothing more than food. So please—run away.』

Her sudden and overwhelming pronouncement was enough to shake the entire populace.

Already, I could hear the unrest spreading through the city streets. Angry shouts and cries rang out from the roads outside.

At this rate, it’s going to turn into mass panic.

『Oh, and one more thing… This is a message for someone who knows me well. I hope you’re listening—Karl.』

“…Me?”

After delivering her evacuation warning, Yury suddenly seemed to remember something and began speaking again.

『I owe you an apology. I lied to you, Karl.』

“A lie…?”

『I told you before, didn’t I? That I couldn’t use offensive magic. I’m sorry—that wasn’t exactly true.』

Kusukusu—she giggled.

The former nun wore a knowing smile as she slowly raised one hand.

『Who would’ve thought? Turns out a Hero’s power can be channeled into magic.』

“…?”

『Now then, take a look at Pedju Mountain, to the east of the capital.』

…Hero’s power, channeling into magic?

What is she talking about? What’s she trying to—

『…Perish, soul. Be purified.』

With that short incantation—

The mountain that had stood tall in the east of the capital was suddenly, violently sliced apart and blown to pieces.

『Amazing, isn’t it? That was just a basic exorcism spell.』

“…What?”

『All I did was overlay it with the ability Absolute Severance. Kusukusu… my one and only weakness—my lack of offensive power—is gone now.』

…When I heard those words, I was speechless.

She layered Absolute Severance onto a beginner-level spell?

What kind of nightmare is that?

In other words… she’s no longer just a support mage.

She’s transformed into a monster—a being who can cast the strongest attack magic, who can cut through anything, over and over again—an immortal beast with unmatched destructive power.

『To be honest, this ability is so incredible that I still haven’t fully mastered it. But even so, this is the power it holds.』

“...”

『I will say this plainly: you humans don’t stand a chance. No matter what tricks you try, there is no way you can defeat me.』

Yury said this much, then quietly lowered her gaze.

And then—

『So please, just run away.』

That was how she ended her speech.

“...Uh, Ilyu...”

“W-wait! Open your eyes, Ilyu!”

Up to that point, things had gone fairly smoothly.

『...Huh?』

『Gii!!』

But as she had admitted herself, it seemed she still hadn’t fully mastered the Absolute Severance ability.

When she blew up the mountain earlier, she had lost control of her power—

『Kyaaaaaaa!! My skirt!!』

『Gii, gii!』

Yury’s skirt slipped clean off, leaving her panties completely exposed.

And that humiliating scene was being broadcast across the night sky of the capital.

『H-hey! Someone bring me my clothes!』

“Ah, good, Ilyu noticed!”

『Also, stop the broadcast for now!! Turn that off, Goblin-san!!』

The former hero scrambled to hide her panties, crouching down in a panic.

Even though what she was saying was extremely dangerous, her fumbling was so very typical of Ilyu.

『Don’t know how to stop it? Hey, Projection Goblin who knows all about the image crystals—』

『Gii—』

『Of all days, you’re on vacation?! Aww, bad timing… but hey, vacations are your right, I guess...』

Apparently, the Demon King’s Army was surprisingly good about allowing time off.

『It’s probably that button over there!! Just press it randomly!』

『Gii-gii—』

With the goblin’s response, the stars returned to the night sky and the broadcast cut off.

Looks like Yury’s show ended with a broadcast mishap.

“...Huh? It’s back on again.”

『Ugh. Why does it always have to go wrong like this?』

…Or so I thought, but then the broadcast suddenly returned to the night sky.

Yury’s bare bottom was shown in an extreme close-up.

“Eh?”

『Come on, bring my clothes quickly while the broadcast is paused. The evacuation announcement isn’t finished yet!』

Apparently, the goblin in charge of filming had accidentally pressed the zoom button.

The sight of a nun’s butt prominently displayed in the capital’s night sky was truly spectacular.

『Kya!! Hey, now’s not the time for naughty stuff!!』

『Gii♪』

Ah—thanks to the goblin’s prank, her panties slipped down revealing half her butt.

『Whoa, your clothes are seriously torn. You’ll need to sew that again…』

“Gii?”

『I can fix it with magic, but it damages the fabric. When there’s time, hand sewing is better.』

Ilyu’s half-exposed butt remained the star of the broadcast.

Before long, the angry shouts and panic from the streets faded away, replaced by everyone in the capital gazing up at her butt projected on the night sky.

『Okay, I’ve changed clothes. Let’s resume the broadcast.』

『...Gii』

“Eh?”

After changing into a second set of nun’s clothes, Ilyu returned to her position.

『Whaaaat!? How come the broadcast wasn’t actually cut off!?』

『Giiiii!』

‘Nooooo!!’

She screamed at the top of her lungs upon realizing her bare butt had been broadcast live—

『Three days from now!! Our Demon King Army’s invasion begins!! If you’re scared, run away!!』

『Gii-gigii!』

『Alright, that’s all I have to say!! This is the end, dismiss!!!』

Tears in her eyes, Yury yelled before her image suddenly faded from the sky.

Her direct broadcast from the Demon King ended abruptly.

“...Your Majesty, why do you laugh?”

“Hmm, that was a most excellent butt.”

And with that, the king mumbled in satisfaction as if in his sleep.