B2 The Demon Lord Panics
Confirming the arrival of supplies, he takes a breath.
The previous war left our side significantly depleted.
Weapons, food, daily necessities.
Supplies are never enough.
He suppresses the urge to rest, forces himself to move.
There is much to do.
Since the previous war, the demon army has been occupied with assessing damage and reorganizing for the next campaign.
The previous war inflicted considerable damage on the human forces.
Most significant was the elimination of the Hero.
The Hero was humanity's top combatant.
Losing such a figure would inevitably lower human morale.
A new Hero may have been born somewhere, but locating them can take time, and becoming a Hero does not guarantee strength from the outset.
The new Hero could still be a child.
The previous Hero who was defeated this time was said to have inherited the title in childhood. It is not impossible.
Yet the damage here is substantial.
Losing General Agner, who commanded the First Army, is a severe blow.
He possessed strength, experience, and knowledge comparable to that of a Demon King.
He was utterly annihilated—entire army and all—by a Mythic-class monster that appeared suddenly on the battlefield: Queen Taretok.
The loss is too great.
Queen Taretok.
A super-tier monster that appeared without warning and vanished just as abruptly.
That it appeared by chance on the battlefield is unthinkable.
Then… perhaps…
“Ooh? Bart? What’s wrong?”
I barely suppress the tremor in my body.
Turning around, I see the one person I least wish to encounter.
The Demon King.
Standing beside him is Shiro.
"Hey hey. Working hard, aren't you? Such a diligent little thing."
"If you think so, then lend a hand yourself."
"Refusing."
The Demon King laughs—keen and sharp.
His mood is unusually light.
Shiro tugs at the Demon King’s sleeve beside him.
"Ah, right. Balt, the delivery arrived?"
"Delivery? The supply transport was completed earlier."
"Ah! Shiro-chan, you can't just do that! Balt, wasn’t there a package for me in there?"
"Eh?"
"Eh?"
Both the Demon King and Shiro tilt their heads.
No such package was expected.
"By the way, what was inside?"
"Premium Cricuta Set."
"Ah."
Recognition flashes.
"Ah? It’s there! So, where is it now?"
Bad.
It was the Demon King’s package.
"Eh, I handed it over to Serantria."
"Why!?"
"Apologies. Serantria has always favored Clikta fruit. I assumed it was hers."
"What… what…?"
The Demon King collapses in disbelief.
Shiro dashes away, leaving the Demon King behind.
Myself and the Demon King snap back to awareness, then follow after Shiro.
Around the corridor's bend, the scene ahead shows Shiro breaking open Serantria's door.
"What!? What!?"
Serantria's startled voice echoes.
Shiro freezes, the door shattered in her hands.
Eyes wide open (・・・・・・).
Inside, Serantria and Kokou stand present.
And the empty dish on the table.
"Aah… aah…"
Shiro emits a voice of utter despair.
The Demon King remains rigid, staring at the empty dish.
"Phew."
"Shiroo~!?"
Shiro suddenly collapses.
Backwards, headfirst.
A dull sound. Then stillness.
"Gyaa!? Shiroo~!?"
Shock. Unable to eat even a single fruit without losing consciousness.
Is this truly the one who defeated the Hero? Doubt creeps in.
Yet, seeing that gaze moments ago—it makes sense.
That gaze. The instant it was seen, dread surged.
"Emergency! Shiro isn't breathing! Mediiiic!?"
The Demon King carries Shiro's body away at a run.
Left behind are me, and Sarnatia and Kogou, frozen in disbelief.
Sarnatia collapses, dragging herself to the ground.
Kogou's face is pale.
"What is this?"
"Ah. Sorry. I thought the fruit was meant for here. But there was a mix-up. I delivered it to the Demon King instead."
Sarnatia finally understands.
“I thought it was odd, not having asked for it. Just as I was speaking with Cogou, I ended up eating it with him.”
“Sorry. That was my mistake.”
“Please at least cover for me properly? I don’t want to be executed over something so foolish.”
“Hmph.”
A valuable general wouldn’t be executed over something this absurd.
Yet that Demon King couldn’t quite say it outright.
“Still, it’s rare for Cogou and you to be talking.”
“Perfect. You should join in.”
“What?”
“The treaty with the Elves has been finalized.”
“What?”
“General Argner was preparing negotiations with the Elves in case of emergency. They reached out to me.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. You wouldn’t consider betraying that Demon King and coming over to our side, would you?”
Sarnatia’s movement halts at the words.
“You heard, didn’t you? Bow’s final moments. Shiro possessed the power to instantly kill the Hero, yet allowed Bow to be slain without intervention. Following that Demon King leads inevitably to our own eventual exhaustion. If we ally with the Elves and strike him down in deceit, even that Demon King could be defeated.”
Slowly, the Demon King’s fading direction is observed.
“Bow was your brother, wasn’t he? Don’t you regret it?”
“Regret? Of course I do.”
My own voice came out low.
Sarnatia, emboldened by that moment, took a step back at the sound.
A sigh escapes me.
“Old friendship’s sake. Pretend you didn’t hear that.”
“You won’t join?”
“No. There’s no chance of victory.”
“Why do you think that?”
He cannot be defeated. He possesses the power to eradicate both demonkind and humanity entirely, should he choose to do so. I know this. To oppose him would be suicide. I cannot do it.
I turn my back on Sanatria, silent, and on Kokou, who has said nothing since, standing frozen.
"Reconsider."
"Exactly the same words you just said."
I do not turn around. I begin to walk away.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
"Heard it, heard it. Elf sister. Time to get serious, huh."