Reincarnation as a Great Demon Lord - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Great Demon King Believes

More than half a day has passed since the fighting began, but the cluster of monsters—no, corpses—that is the enemy, has somehow been held back thanks to the efforts of my Imperial Guard, the 'Imperial Dragoon Knights.'

The battlefield is now a scene worthy of the Underworld. The monster corpses, which have been cut, crushed, and incinerated countless times, have merged into a chaotic, formless, single entity.

It is a tsunami of dead flesh. If any living creature is engulfed, they will be instantly lost. ...It would have been easier to deal with them if they had attacked as a conventional army. Despite the relentless bombardment, the effect is honestly minimal. Perhaps having only three cannons presents a significant limitation in attack coverage.

Despite this situation, my 'Imperial Dragoon Knights' are fighting exceptionally well. The flames exhaled by Egret and the Dragonkin Knights are proving more effective against the 'corpses' than anticipated, and the human soldiers are also wrapping their swords and spears in fire, refusing to yield an inch.

This is the result of their training. The coordination between the mixed formation of demons and humans is working, is it not?

Meanwhile, time continues to tick away. Only one hour remains until sunset. If our plan doesn't succeed before then, night will fall.

............Should I concentrate the firepower and order Egret to advance? Even if it means some damage to the fortress city, simply defeating the 'Monster Tamer'—the caster—will stop the wave of corpses. That would mean victory for us. It would be a victory, but—

"No. The Final Boss does not compromise. If I am to win, I must win perfectly."

I choose to trust Arcelia and the Hero of the Holy Sword. I haven't heard the details of the plan, but I trust that the two of them have prepared a move that will break this deadlock.

To believe and wait is also a part of the battle. Egret is fighting bravely; I, as King, cannot be perturbed.

Fortunately, the stalemate is holding. Now it's a test of endurance, which, fortunately, is my specialty. A Final Boss, if necessary, will lurk in the shadows and scheme for years—no, centuries.

For now, I'll reduce the convergence rate of the magical bombardment and adjust it to scorch a wider area. This won't stop the wave of corpses itself, but it's the best way to delay their advance.

"—Your Majesty the Great Demon King."

Just as I finished the adjustment, Seren, whom I had sent on an errand, returned. I had asked her to act as my proxy for an emergency.

"Seren. What did they answer?"

"'We will not flee, we will remain.' That was the answer from everyone."

I frowned at the unexpected answer.

Seren had presented the Rock Orc Elder and the refugees with a choice: 'flee or remain.' She was supposed to have clearly informed them of the escape route if they chose the former, and that they would be massacred, every single one, if they chose the latter.

Despite that, they chose to stay. It doesn't make sense. I thought common people like them would prioritize their lives...

"............I don't understand."

No matter how I thought about it, no answer came, and a sigh escaped me. I can usually find an answer to most things with a little thought, but this time, I'm completely baffled. Even without an objective assessment, the Great Demon King's Army is currently at a disadvantage. Of course, I am confident in victory and will fight as the Final Boss until the very last moment, but that's because I am the Final Boss. I have no right to demand that level of resolve from ordinary people who could be living normal lives.

...I must stop this. I've exposed another un-Final Boss-like moment. I shouldn't let Seren see me tired and uttering weakness like this. I may have disappointed her...

"Your Majesty the Great Demon King. If you would forgive my presumption."

"...What is it?"

I managed to respond in my usual manner when Seren called out to me.

...It must be the fatigue from the battle. Magical power is infinite, but its control and output still require mental strength. As the Final Boss, my mental strength is nearly infinite, but being tired or not is a different matter.

"First, I brought this. It is a Demon Root cake. I made it from a recipe my mother taught me."

As if she had seen right through my inner turmoil, Seren placed a purple cake on a platter onto the long table. The Demon Root—is that the potato-like thing that sometimes appears as a side dish? If so, it could certainly be made into a sweet treat depending on the seasoning.

...To sense her master's inner state and provide service as usual, even in this situation—she is truly the model maid. While I was impressed, I felt ashamed of my own imperfection.

"...Thank you, Seren."

"All I can do is cook and manage the household. Therefore, if what I create can, at the very least, assist Your Majesty the Great Demon King, there is no greater honor. I humbly suggest that the Rock Orcs and humans are thinking the same thing."

"...They decided to remain in the city as a form of resistance they can offer, is that it?"

Seren nodded.

If that is the case, it is not entirely incomprehensible. Both demons and humans have their pride. Mere stubbornness is futile, but sometimes pride can inspire unexpected courage. If the thought that they will not let their homeland, or their home, be taken away from them a second time is what makes them hold their ground, then I accept it.

"Then, I will not tell you to run away again. You've worked hard, Seren."

"............I spoke out of turn. Please punish me. But, Your Majesty the Great Demon King. Only Seren is here, and only Seren is presumptuous enough to guess at Your Majesty's heart."

Seren knelt on one knee, bowed her head, and spoke in a supplicating posture. ...She truly is too good of a maid. If she says that, getting angry or reacting negatively would only expose my own small-mindedness.

"Your Majesty the Great Demon King is the one who bears the burden of all of the Demon Realm—no, the entire world. I ask that you share that burden, even if only with this Seren."

Seren looked straight at me with eyes shining with determination. She was speaking from the heart, saying she truly wanted to support me, the Final Boss.

In my past life, I never relied on anyone. Or perhaps I should say I couldn't. I would trust people and utilize them, but I never trusted and leaned on anyone. Whether that was due to my way of life as a Final Boss or the experiences of my childhood, that kind of arrogance was certainly what cost me my life.

...Seren's loyalty is genuine. I can trust her. And if I am to learn from the mistakes of my past life, especially at a time like this, I must change.

"I understand. But don't expect to hear my weaknesses often, understood?"

I spoke these words to Seren, who was still waiting for an answer with her head bowed. An uncontrollable smile broke out on her face as she looked up.

"Yes! Yes! Your Majesty the Great Demon King!"

My spirits were lifted by the sight of my attendant, who looked ready to jump for joy, and I let the corners of my mouth rise slightly as well. ...When was the last time I let out a smile of relief, not one of hearty laughter or belligerence? At least right before I died in my past life, I certainly didn't have that luxury.

"Good. Now, first, brew some tea. I'm thirsty."

"Yes! Right away!"

Seren immediately began preparing the tea set she had brought. Watching her, I resumed observing the battlefield with a restored spirit.

The stalemate continued. However, I noticed something I had overlooked before.

The enemy's attack was concentrated on one point. Instead of using their numerical advantage for a multi-pronged attack as they did initially, the tsunami of corpses was relentlessly attacking my 'Imperial Dragoon Knights.' Despite the fact that the enemy could easily disperse the corpses and flank the unit to approach the fortress city, they were not doing so.

Why? The answer quickly came to me.

The enemy was being stubborn. Their pride was hurt by a mere force of fifty holding back their boasted corps of corpses, and they were obsessed with breaking through it.

—Now is the time to wipe them out. An urgent voice communication from Arcelia came right after I had that thought.

—The preparations are complete. But there is one problem.

"What is it?"

Arcelia's voice sounded serious for once. Had some technical problem occurred...?

To execute the plan, we need to unseal that Hero. The output isn't high enough.

"Is that all? I give permission."

I was taken aback and gave permission lightly. Essentially, it was just unbinding the curse that suppressed the 'Hero of the Holy Sword's' power. There's no need to worry about that.

No, perhaps the 'me' before my conversation with Seren might have hesitated, but now I can decide instantly.

...I think you know this, but even without her Holy Sword, that woman is a monster. If you think you can win with the same tactics as before, you are dead wrong.

"I understand. But—"

I paused and moistened my tongue with the 'Demon Realm Tea' Seren had brewed. The temperature was perfect—neither too hot nor lukewarm. I truly have excellent subordinates.

And the fact that I have such excellent subordinates means that the heavens favor me. The geographic advantage and the unity of people are also mine. There is no logical reason for me to lose.

"I believe in the Hero of the Holy Sword. My Hero, you show that heathen what it means to be a Hero."

I accessed the castle's functions and removed the curse on the Hero of the Holy Sword. Simultaneously, a powerful magical source rivaling my own erupted around the tallest spire of the Great Demon King's Castle. It was the Hero of the Holy Sword. As Arcelia said, even without the Holy Sword—her symbol and greatest weapon—her threat level rivals that of the 'Monster Tamer' currently fighting.

In her right hand was a new sword, replacing the lost Holy Sword. Its shining blade and ominous design were something I had Arcelia prepare for this very moment.

It suits her well. As expected of me. My Final Boss sensibility is unrivaled.

—You heard him, Hero. Get to work.

...Okay.

As soon as I heard the Hero of the Holy Sword's voice, the communication was cut. I observed the magical source darting up the spire and leaping into the sky.

Its target was a gigantic black cloud that had suddenly appeared directly above the battlefield. As soon as the Hero of the Holy Sword plunged into it, a flash of lightning erupted. Then the battlefield instantly changed, and I understood what Arcelia and the Hero of the Holy Sword had done.

Rain. It was raining.

The sudden downpour—a gift from the heavens for some reason—caused the hordes of corpses to stop one after another.

Most likely, the Hero of the Holy Sword's attribute, conveyed through the rain, was affecting the corpses manipulated by the 'Monster Tamer.' If the soldiers' advance is halted, only the defenseless general remains. And the Hero of the Holy Sword is on the battlefield.

"—Well, the rest is a spectator sport. Seren, attend to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Great Demon King."

The certainty of victory was now transformed into an absolute fact. To celebrate this, I savored the cake Seren had baked. It was truly, truly delicious. This is the taste of victory.

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