The Demon King Seems to Conquer the World

“I’m not sure if it’s alright to ask, but why are you traveling this way? Don’t you have travel expenses?” (Yuri)

I finally asked.

‘I know the Toga Household only by name, but I can’t imagine someone from a General household having to go this far. Even if something happens, if you bring out some money from your household or sell the house, or rely on the relatives if you’re not capable of doing that, you should be able to afford the travel expenses.’

“I think you know this. I’m a Knight in this country.” (Gin)

Gin said while holding the roasted iron skewers and often flipping the meat.

“Among them, it’s fine to say that I am a loser. And now this nearby inn is full of refugees. There’s not enough food.” (Gin)

‘The number of refugees is increasing around here, probably because the talk of offensive is beginning to spread in Kilghina. However, is there any connection between being a loser and the crowding refugees? Does it have something to do with him? Certainly, there are so many inns here, but the inns are fully occupied. In addition to that, the food stockpiles aren’t a lot after winter, so it would be difficult to secure food. That reminds me, the food that I bought was also quite expensive.’

“When I entered an inn, I took one bed of the people who evacuated and took their meal. I’m a loser, and I’m also an unimportant Knight. I’m traveling like this, thinking that I don’t want to bother people at least since the refugees are running away as no Knights lead them.” (Gin)

‘Well, yeah. He looks so tired… No, actually, that is a splendid consideration.’

“Is that so?” (Gin)

‘He isn’t happy about it.’

Gin smiled as if he were in trouble.

“No, that’s amazing. It’s not easy to do it.” (Yuri)

“No…” (Gin)

“But, why did you come up with that idea of traveling? It’s not that there’s no talk of fighting. Do you come to dislike the battlefield?” (Yuri)

‘If you think about the country or the people, I think it’s best to be on the battlefield if you’re a Knight. I’m not someone who thinks deserters are garbage, but even though he has such a good intention, it doesn’t feel right to turn your back to the battlefield and escape to the Kingdom of Shaalta.’

“I was dismissed by the Knights, and I have been removed. Besides, even though I have graduated as a Knight, I have no territory.” (Gin)

‘Eh?’

“I thought the Toga Household was one of the General households.” (Yuri)

“Aah, I suppose you know that.” (Gin)

“Well, yeah.” (Yuri)

“Yes, the Toga Household is surely one of the General households. No, it should be that way until now.” (Gin)

“What do you mean?” (Yuri)

“The last war deprived me of most of my territory. In addition, there were outward flows of the people in the territory. Because of that, there are no people to be governed. Officially, the Toga Household has a territory, but it feels like we have none.” (Gin)

‘I see. No, how did that happen? Although they lost in the last war, the territory is officially under the Toga Household, so if you take it, you can claim ownership again. Or maybe he couldn’t? He needs to move his army to take it back, and that will take a huge amount of money. That if he still has an army. However, since he probably doesn’t have it, taking back the territory is not free of charge.’

‘The territory of the Toga Household would be divided among other General households or taken over by the royal family. It’s not too difficult for the royal family to confiscate the territory. For example, they can’t leave it to a household who can’t protect it.’

‘Even so, I think it depends on how hard you try… However if you look at the big picture, it’s obvious that the Shanti are inferior, so even if you try hard, it’s unlikely to bear results, and it could be said that all hard work will end up in vain.’

“Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but was the Toga Household based in the northeast?” (Yuri)

“Yeah… we governed that area.” (Gin)

‘As I expected. The northeastern part of the Kingdom of Kilghina has been almost occupied.’

‘Occupation doesn’t mean that the Kuran have already settled in. However, since it has been completely scorched, the people can’t return to their original lives when they return.’

The weakness of the Kuran’s offensive is it’s not unsustainable because it is a coalition of each country, and it could be said as a temporary measure. At the end of a single Crusade, a counter-offensive may be made, and the territory may be regained.’

‘Therefore, they burn the land that may be reclaimed. Before burning it, they allow unrestricted plundering, leaving only the trampled fields on the rest of the land. By temporarily making the land worthless, the feeling of reclaiming the territory is eliminated. They don’t want to use the Shanti’s housing tools as it is, so basically, it’s not a loss. For them, scorching leads to the purification of dirty land.’

‘In other words, since the territory has been effectively controlled on top of being badly done, it’s similar to a territory that doesn’t have a General household to manage it.  I guess it might have become that.’

“Then, in the Toga Household, you are…” (Yuri)

“For now, I suppose I’m the head of the household? But it doesn’t mean anything anymore.” (Gin)

‘The head of the household, huh? Well, he is in a similar position as Rook, isn’t it?’

“Please excuse me for being rude. Should I call you Gin-dono?” (Yuri)

“No, I have returned that title. I’m not under cavalry ranking anymore.” (Gin)

‘I see. The cavalry is the minimum level of the Knight’s status.’

‘Although it’s different from the Knights, if you are a Knight of the General households, the minimum level of the Cavalry would be given. It’s almost like an honorary title of the court ranking. So, without that, you can’t get a job even if you’re a Knight.’

“Hmm… well, I don’t have to hold back.” (Yuri)

“Yes, by all means.” (Gin)

‘I feel better that way, too.’

“But even if you don’t have the territory, what happened to the Knights of the Toga Household?” (Yuri)

‘Was it literally wiped out?’

“It has been disbanded. After all, a lot of people were lost in the battle in the south, and the old land couldn’t be recovered. It’s a situation where there is a concern about strength.” (Gin)

‘The battle in the south might be a field battle which took place in the vicinity of the Verdun Great Fortress. After the battle, the defeated army was absorbed into a relatively healthy combat unit of the Verdun Great Fortress. I can’t be sure, but there may have been the Knights of the Toga Household.’

‘If so, the Toga Household couldn’t respond because the troops invading the north would have bypassed the Verdun Great Fortress. That’s also possible. In that way, the other General household would also have to help the Toga Household since their territory is invaded. That’s why they rush to defend the place. But I suppose they didn’t do it. The sense of camaraderie between the General households is only demonstrated when saying bad things about the Witch households, and it’s actually low.’

‘If the majority of the territory is taken, you can’t draft an army even if you are a Knight. Most of the common soldiers are men of the non-noble commoner. For starters, if most people of the territory flee, no one will come to rebuild the army.’

‘It could be possible to build an army of Knights only, but that’s scary because the number is insufficient. All the enemies were invading for high-value targets, so it will just make them happy. Unfortunately, there is no help for the dissolution of the army.’

“So did the other Knights of the Toga Household ask to join the other cavalry unit?” (Yuri)

“That’s right. I don’t have income to take care of them anymore… Some people told me they didn’t need a salary, but I kept them away.” (Gin)

Gino said it in a sorrowful voice.

‘He is probably happy the fact that the Knights admired him as someone from the General household. It must be heart-wrenching to keep them away from him.’

“I see. I wish they were hired collectively to become the Imperial Guards.” (Yuri)

‘As expected, there is no General household that employs the head of another General household, but there should be no problem in incorporating the Knights altogether in the Imperial Guard unit. Well, I’m sure by doing that, it will create a lot of confusion in the military organization, so that probably doesn’t happen. Disbanding the Knight unit and having each of them find a new job seems to be an unavoidable option.’

“Well… I’m an incompetent man who couldn’t protect his own territory. Of course, no one want to hire me.” (Gin)

“I don’t think that’s always the case.” (Yuri)

“Is that so?” (Gin)

‘I don’t really know. I can’t tell whether he has a military talent in such a small talk. Perhaps, the only merit he has as an incompetent man is kindness.’

“What is your opinion about this war?” (Yuri)

I decided to ask that.

“What do you mean by opinion?” (Gin)

“Win or lose, something like that.” (Yuri)

‘Aah, that’s a broad question if I have to say it myself.’

“It doesn’t look good.” (Gin)

‘Is it? That’s the same opinion as Liao Rube.’

“Why is that?” (Yuri)

“The enemy will probably have twice as many guns as last time.” (Gin)

“A gun is written in the Shan language like a fire arrow. A fire arrow is only a gun, but it is a primitive musket gun used by the Kurans.’

“I don’t know if you know what guns are, but they’re much more troublesome than a mechanical bow.” (Gin)

‘A mechanical bow is a crossbow. This too has been used long before the gun.’

“Is that so?” (Yuri)

“Yes. The actual number of casualties is not so much, but if it is unilaterally struck from a long distance, the army will inevitably pull back. Especially when that loud noise is troublesome…” (Gin)

“That’s true.” (Yuri)

‘I also knew that the reason why guns are so powerful in the battlefield is because of the sound. The threat of firepower isn’t so much because it takes a long time to load.’

‘Of course, the power of the bullet is high. There’s no mistake that it is an excellent weapon, but in terms of continuous fire, there are some difficulties, and in some cases, the bow is stronger due to range and rate of fire. Still, when you see the loud sound of explosives and the smoke rising, people feel more threatened than they really are.’

‘It’s like a roar of a beast. Even if you say ‘if you make a fence and stab your spear, you won’t lose to that beast. There’s no need to be afraid’, most people will say ‘scary thing is scary’ in front of the intimidating beast that lets out a loud roar.’

‘Unlike beasts, some people actually die. So, it gets a lot worse. Even if you instruct the soldiers out loud by saying ‘shooting will kill some, but don’t be afraid. It might be loud and some of your companions died, but in reality it’s not so much. It only gives a fall impression’, the soldiers won’t be convinced. A gun unit can be easily crushed if they are attacked, but in reality, there are situations in which that couldn’t be done.’

“But you still look young. Have you ever experienced the battlefield?” (Yuri)

‘Gin is youthful, but since he has the cheat of Shanti, he is probably around 25 years old. ‘The war that Uncle Gouk died was ten years ago, so it doesn’t make sense. Is it possible to enter the battlefield in Kilghina even under the age of twenty?’

“Yes. My father was injured in the war ten years ago, became bedridden and died five years ago. Since then, I have fought several times, moving the soldiers to recover the old land that I had lost in the north. But, I’m ashamed to say that the outcome of the war wasn’t good.” (Gin)

“I see, that’s what it is.” (Yuri)

‘It seems that there were no battles in the last decade. Gin was doing his best in a local battle. I guess he had lost his money while struggling to do so. The money to hire the soldiers to reclaim… I guess he got it by selling his properties.’

“From the experience of actually fighting, what kind of tactics do you think is effective against guns?” (Yuri)

“A moat and surprise attack.” (Gin)

The answer came back immediately.

“What is moat?” (Yuri)

“We will make an instant moat for this camp by digging the soil.” (Gin)

‘As expected, he seems to say something like a trench.’

“The trouble with guns is that the shield can’t go against it. Unlike arrows, the gun easily pierces a large wooden shield that is easy to carry. You can do it with a thick iron plate, but it’s not realistic to put it in front of the whole army.” (Gin)

‘That’s true. Since the weight is heavy, the slow infantry will quickly become like a snail. Plus, iron is expensive, so the cost is too high. It’s possible to make a wooden shield even thicker and make a wall with logs to fight, but that’s not realistic either. It would be possible with the army with strength like a gorilla, but there’s no way it would be like that.’

“So, dig the soil and go into the hole. The weakness of the gun is that the bullet can only fly in a straight line.” (Gin)

“But if you go into the hole, you can’t attack. Besides…” (Yuri)

“Is it a siege?” (Gin)

I was told ahead of time.

“Yeah.” (Yuri)

‘If you’re not mobile, you will be surrounded. The situation of siege in the field can be said to be the worst situation in a tactical situation. You will be alone, the soldiers are scared and confused, and the general is confused.’

‘In addition, simply, once besieged, the area that wraps the outside is larger than that of the inside, and the area that can be taken on the inside is smaller. In other words, the inside can’t take the front of the battle.’

‘On the battlefield, there’s a rather big difference. Even if you have more and well-trained soldiers, you can fight 5000 people in the front line, but only 3000 people can fight. Such a thing will happen. Speaking of which, while being gathered at one spot, it would be mysterious that each individual will perish in some circumstances.’

‘At the most typical factor in the siege is the difference in mobility. If there is a difference of five or ten times in the speed that you move, you will surely be surrounded.’

“I make up for it with the Galloping Birds. The only thing that works against guns is the charging of the Galloping Birds.” (Gin)

“Hmm.” (Yuri)

‘This is also fundamental of old and modern tactics where soldiers use cavalry to stop the siege.

“However, this tactic can’t be used to attack from here. The moat can’t be used if your enemy pulls you in. I wish I had actually used it first.” (Gin)

‘On the battlefield where Gin fought, it was a battle to regain the old territory, so it would have been an exceptional attack.’

“Did you propose that?” (Yuri)

“Yes. However, I ended up being a nuisance. There’s no way I can do it.” (Gin)

‘That’s right. It’s funny to say that he is an associate, but even if the Toga Household is not responsible among the people who are in the same profession, it can be said that they are losers. Unfortunately, if a young man who is the head of the household makes a strange proposition at the conference, it will end up being laughed at by hard-headed people.’

“But it doesn’t seem unreasonable.” (Yuri)

“Is that so?” (Gin)

Gina looked a bit happy with my approval.

“In a military gathering of Knights, it wouldn’t be possible to propose. Only mediocre measures will be taken.” (Yuri)

‘If there is only one person at the top position, you can do it. As long as you persuade him, it’s possible to prosecute the plan. The success of persuasion itself may be miraculous, but the possibility is there.’

‘However, the Kilghina’s army, like Shaalta, is a coalition made up of a group of General households. Even if someone is appointed as head, he will be like a chairman and he has no dictatorial command.’

‘If there are five or six top executives, letting them all agree with a strange plan is just a dream story. If somebody agrees, the debate of ‘no, no , I’m against it’ will happen. This isn’t really feasible anymore since it’s not enough to persuade one person to earn their approval. When a bunch of competent, incompetent and mediocre people mixed up together, only a mediocre plan can come up.’

“I knew that too. But to me…” (Gin)

‘He must have proposed it even though he knew it was impossible. And the result is this trip…’

“Yes. There are things in the world that you know it’s stupid, but you can’t do anything about it.” (Yuri)

“Indeed.” (Gin)

“As a result, there is an encounter like this.” (Yuri)

I took bread out of the bag, and sliced it into two with a knife. I handed it over. The meat at Gin’s hand was burned more than enough.

“Let’s eat.” (Yuri)

Gin immediately put the meat between the bread, pulled out the skewer and ate as much as possible. *Nomnom* he chewed. It seemed he enjoyed it.

“If necessary, I will write a letter of introduction so that you can serve the Hou Household.” (Yuri)

“Buh!? Ugh… *cough* *cough*.” (Gin)

He choked.

“It is a matter for us to decide whether we will hire you, but at least, you could meet them first.” (Yuri)

‘Let’s keep quiet that I am the son of the head of the household.’

“That is… I can’t believe it. But I really appreciate it.” (Gin)

“I see. Then, I’ll write it when the meal is over.” (Yuri)

When the meal was over, I wrote a brief letter of introduction. The next day, while seeing him off in the woods, I flew back into the sky.

TLN:

• Looking at the map in the previous chapter, the surrendered region is located at southeast area but the map doesn’t specifically says that it’s the territory of the Toga’s Household.
• The raw said that their territory located at the northeast of Kilghina which is Kola Peninsula in real world. So, I’m not sure which is which but I’ll confirm this in the future.

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