Chapter 323

  1. Everyone has a plan… (6)

#4 Their circumstances: The circumstances of a hero

“Why on earth…?”

I couldn’t help but shut my mouth as I confirmed the position of the first arriving Imperial troops.  

I just couldn’t understand it.

“What’s the point of forming an encirclement with this place at the center?”

The formation itself wasn’t bad.  

If the Kingdom of Baresseryl had been breached, it would have been the best formation.

It would perfectly block the path where the Demon King would advance, and various support troops including us would attack from behind, making encirclement and annihilation possible.

However, the Kingdom of Baresseryl was holding up well against the Demon King.  

Rather than saying they were holding up well, it would be better to say they were repelling the evil god troops!

It was a variable no one had expected.

Even the Ruvella City Alliance, when they heard of the Demon King’s invasion, was already finished shortly after.

Even in the early stages of the emergence of the Demon King and the evil god troops, it was too easily annihilated considering the Ruvell City Alliance’s military power.

That’s how strong the Demon King was, and how powerful the evil god troops were.

Just looking at the reduced size of the evil god troops, which had already lost hundreds of thousands, you could tell.  

If they had sufficient supplies, the evil god troops would not have been able to breach those thick walls and would have collapsed!

In the current situation, the best tactic would be to construct a formation at the rear to prevent the evil god troops from retreating.  

With the power of our troops and the imperial troops, we would be able to defeat the greatly reduced evil god troops.

However, the Empire had taken up positions at the rear of the castle.  

As if besieging the dwarven village.

Normally I would send a messenger to the commander who gave such an order, but…

“Is there something we don’t know?”

Knowing the opponent too well, I couldn’t help but worry.

“That may be the case.”

“Or they may be preparing a tactic that we haven’t thought of.”

“Above all, Sir Swin is there, isn’t he?”

“That’s right. The hero of Nature also has excellent tactical insight.”

“Didn’t the hero of Nature also say ‘I have a companion with abilities superior to mine’?”

“That’s correct. They must have read something we didn’t anticipate and took that measure.”

It was the words of the heroes and priests of each religious order.

Most of those here were heroes of the religious order of nature who had been helped by Sir Swin.

Some had been helped in facing the evil god troops, while others had their and their comrades’ lives saved by him.  

I was the same.

That’s why we believed in Sir Swin.

The only one who can defeat the current Demon King, known as the strongest Demon King in history, is Sir Swin alone!

“You’re probably right. There must be something we don’t know.”

That’s why I had no choice but to nod my head.  

Because I believed in the hero of Nature, Sir Swin, that much, and because the imperial troops were also strong and excellent.

“Should we send someone to find out what the plan is?”

“Yes. We could interfere with the plan.”

“Or how about setting up a base near the place the imperial troops have set up as their stronghold?”

“That’s not a bad idea either.”

But I couldn’t agree with the heroes’ words.

“We are heroes.”

No long speech was needed.  

Because everyone had shut their mouths with just that one line earlier.

“No matter how strong the imperial troops are said to be, defeating the Demon King is originally the work of heroes.”

No one opened their mouths.  

Everyone was agreeing with what I said.

“Although our power is lacking and we are receiving help from the imperial troops, we must not rely entirely on them.”

Heroes must remain neutral.

Heroes were those who received the blessings of the gods and grew faster and stronger than ordinary people.  

If a hero were to take the side of a particular country, for small countries, the fate of the nation could be swayed by the hero.

They must not be politically involved, nor receive positions from particular kingdoms.

If heroes are not neutral, the world would have no choice but to be wary of heroes and religious orders.  

In a world where gods exist, there would be none who could ignore those who perform the miracles of the gods.

What the gods want is balance in the world.  

Following the will of the gods was what hero, an apostle, must do.

“The Empire is the strongest country in the world. Heroes relying on such an Empire could instill fear in many.” 

Even the heroes who protect the world cannot help but be wary of the Empire!

Or no matter how much of a hero, they still cannot match the Empire!

“Realistically… Even if all the powers of current heroes were combined, they still probably wouldn’t be a match for the Empire.”

Although they were the Heroes Alliance with most heroes gathered, their accomplishments were less than the imperial army.

Although we had gathered most of the heroes existing on this continent here, only a very small fraction of the imperial troops were active, despite that.  

An overwhelming difference in power.

The current difference between the imperial troops and heroes was overwhelming.  

“But… We are heroes. We must not yield to power.”

Heroes are a symbol.

Guardians of the world and followers of the divine will.

Beings who fight against even stronger existences than themselves. 

“We must maintain our own uniqueness. Only then can we speak confidently to the world. ‘Believe in the hero.”

Everyone on this continent believes in the hero.

No matter what hostile nation they are from.

Regardless of their origin, or even if they are of a different race, the neutrality and faith built up by successive generations of heroes allows all beings on this continent to believe in the hero.

I didn’t want to… Break that in our generation.

“We must think about our affairs ourselves. The moment outside opinions come in, we cease to be heroes.”

Heroes cease to be heroes. 

At that moment, rather than beings who save the world, we become a mere military faction.

We become an armed group that moves by the logic of power.

“That must not happen.”

It would tarnish the honor of our predecessor heroes who risked their lives to protect the world, and furthermore, it would mean abandoning the will of God.

“I’m sorry.”

“My thinking was shortsighted.”

“I’m sorry.”

Apologies began to spill out from everywhere.

“It’s alright.”

My words were not to accept their apologies, so as I accepted their apologies, I looked at the map.  

“The imperial army is a monster-like organization. They must be carrying out tactics beyond our level of thinking.”

I move the imperial army’s piece around the map.

No matter how I look at it, it seems they are surrounding the Baresseryl kingdom’s army.

However much I move it around, it doesn’t give me the feeling they are facing the Demon King.

“But we don’t need to follow that.”

I place the piece representing us on the map.

Rational movements. 

It was a strategy that adhered to the fundamentals.

“This is enough.”

Nothing more is needed.

“We just have to do what we can as heroes.”  

That alone is enough.

The power of the Demon King is noticeably weakening at a rapid pace, and it won’t be long before he meets his demise.  

“We just have to show what we can do.”

Do what we are capable of, and demonstrate it.

That is what heroes must do.

“I intend to organize a formation here. Does anyone object?”

No one spoke.

“Then we will establish a stronghold here.”

The place I pointed to was behind the Demon King.

The very first place we had decided to build a stronghold.

“Here, we will cut off the Demon King’s escape route. We will do our utmost as heroes!”

#5. Their Situation: The Situation of a Certain Hero (2)  

“Your role here is to block the Instructor’s escape route. Do your best as a hero!”  

I sighed at Mirea’s words.  

“No, that’s not a hero’s job.”

“Is that so? Then do your best as my subordinate!”  

As the saying goes, you have to choose who you speak to wisely.  

It would be easier to communicate with a brick wall than with her.  

So I should refrain from speaking.  

Refrain, refrain and refrain some more.  

Just move enough to uphold my contract with Instructor.

“Can’t we go somewhere else?”  

Just move enough not to oppose Instructor.

“No, we can’t.”

But this damn subordinate wanted to see me make mistakes because of the Geass Scroll.  

“Why don’t we just go and catch the Demon King first? Instructor is already a rat trapped in a jar.”

Fortunately, other heroes had set up a base behind the Demon King.  

So the Demon King was now in a perfectly besieged situation.  

According to imperial intelligence, the allied kingdoms nearby would arrive soon, and the Magic Tower forces would arrive within a week.

There was even intelligence that the Elves’ army was also on the move. It would be the moment when the best military force on the continent gathered in one place.  

No matter how powerful the Demon King was, he could not defeat such an overwhelming numerical advantage.

But before that, we had to take down the Black Anvil clan’s castle, but that didn’t seem possible.  

With the technology behind their wooden and metal bat, how could we take a castle made with that?

The cursed village where the bats were born would be insurmountable even for the Demon King.  

“If the Heroes Alliance is around here now, if we move like this….”  

I started suggesting ways to attack the Demon King, moving my words eagerly.  

“Unnecessary.”

“Hey! Can’t you listen to me until the end?”

But Mirea quickly cut me off and restored the positions of the pieces I had moved.  

“We will maintain this. Continuously, continuously, continuously.”  

She repeats continuously.  

It means she has no intention to move.

“Instructor must have already created an escape route. One that would allow him to escape the moment we engage the Demon King.”  

It was hard to deny Mirea’s words. That’s the kind of person Instructor is.

“What if he’s already escaped?”

But the possibility that he had already fled wasn’t zero either.  

The secret passages made by the captured Black Anvil dwarves were already destroyed.  

The moment the Black Anvil dwarves fled, Instructor might have escaped through there as well.  

“No, Instructor is in the castle. Otherwise, the Demon King wouldn’t be so reckless.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. The Demon King wants Instructor so badly that he has stormed into the mainland’s Demon King’s castle alone.”  

Mirea spoke with confidence.  

“The Demon King is no fool. He knows he’s under siege. But the fact that he’s still being so reckless means Instructor is in the castle.”

It was a rocky mountain where living things found it hard to survive.  

No matter how evil the army, they needed creatures nearby to proliferate. 

They kept losing troops while sieging the castle, but there was no reinforcement or recovery.  

With the few remaining forces on the continent falling one by one and the main forces that could be called as such continuing a reckless attack.

It was similar to previous Demon Kings, but unlike previous ones, the current Demon King still retained his ego.  

“I see….”  

Mirea’s words were convincing.   

“That’s why we should attack the Demon King.”

“…Are you stupid?”

Her words were convincing so I should be even more against besieging the castle, but still!

“I’m telling you we should catch the Demon King first!”

“You… You can’t possibly be in cahoots with Instructor, right?”

“What, no way.”  

As Mirea stared at me with a gaze that seemed to see through everything, cold sweat started running down my back.  

“Really?”

“Yes, really!”  

As I nodded my head, Mirea, who was staring at me dispassionately, also nodded.  

“Really.”  

Really what? What did she see?

I wanted to ask so many questions but held my tongue, feeling like things would go badly for me if I pried any deeper.  

I wasn’t in cahoots with Instructor but my actions were restricted due to the contract.  

If that was revealed, I had no idea what Mirea might do to me so it was wise to stay quiet.  

“Then why are you trying so hard to catch the Demon King?”

Mirea’s question was something I fully expected.  

There’s one good thing at times like this.  

“It’s the will of the Gods!”  

Just play with the name of the Gods!

Only heroes and priests can use that skill, and Mirea nodded to it as well.  

“As expected of the worst class Instructor acknowledged……. It must be hard.”

“Right.”  

It felt like the God of Nature sighed but I decided to ignore it.  

Since she often apologized to me, I could let this slide.  

“Catching the Demon King is the will of the Gods! Isn’t it a human’s duty to uphold that?”

Now that I pulled out the name of the Gods, I decided to sell it a little more.  

But,  

“No, it’s not.”  

“Ah… Is that so?”

“Yes. While the gods don’t give me bread, they do give me instructions.” 

“…I see.”  

Indeed, all nature’s goddess gave me was candy.  

And that too was the really sticky Instructor flavored candy.

“So I have to carry out the instructions of the Monarch.” 

The Princess’ order. Which was to capture the Instructor.  

“Until reinforcements arrive, we’ll maintain this formation.”

In the face of Mirea so loyally carrying out the Princess’ order, I could do nothing at all.

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