■ Rest □
After returning to the Demon King’s Castle, we immediately met with the Demon King.
It was to share the information received from the southern witch, Glinda.
“So, in the end, the number of people who can actually fight is around 3,000?”
“Including the reserves, it would be more than that. There’s also the possibility of conscription.”
The scary thing about the Elf army was that all its members were excellent elemental mages.
The Elves, a race blessed by the World Tree, were as adept at handling mana as they were at manipulating spirits, using them in various aspects of daily life.
Just imagining all that being directed purely toward combat was truly terrifying.
Their firepower would far exceed even a battalion of mages.
As I thought about it, even I found it absurd.
What kind of overpowered race is this?
Excluding dragons, there wasn’t another race that could match the Elves in terms of specs, so it wasn’t surprising they naturally fell into a sense of superiority.
“In any case, if the Demon King’s Army wants to fight the Elf army on equal terms, I think our only option would be to use overwhelming numbers. So, do you think we could deploy races like Goblins or Orcs that have large populations on the battlefield?”
At that, the Demon King furrowed his brow.
“It’s true that overwhelming numbers can be an effective tactic, but the lives lost because of it would be those of innocent civilians. Are you the kind of commander who sees soldiers as mere numbers?”
At his words, my head went blank.
“…I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through.”
Honestly, I was caught off guard.
Even after nearly three years of serving under the Demon King, my perception of Goblins and Orcs was still stuck at “numerous but inferior demons.”
‘So this is what bias feels like.’
A strange sense of self-loathing washed over me, and I let out a wry smile.
Ultimately, humans remain human.
It seems impossible to fully take on the perspective of demons.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, the Demon King cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“In any case, what we need to focus on is finding a way to reduce casualties on our side while attacking the enemy.”
“…You know as well as I do that it’s not as easy as it sounds.”
“But we can’t just give up without thinking things through. Extreme measures should only be considered after all other options have been exhausted.”
From his firm stance, I could see the Demon King’s love for his people.
He truly was someone worthy of respect.
“Then what other options do we have?”
In response to my question, the Demon King gave a direct answer.
“Alliance with the Dwarves.”
“With their technology, they should be able to hold their own against the Elves.”
“Did the alliance proposal with Nídavellir that Gabriel mentioned yesterday come through?”
“Well…”
The Demon King hesitated, averting his gaze.
“I received a reply today. It seems Motsofnir, their current leader, really dislikes dragons. He threatened war if we send another dragon emissary to his country.”
“…Huh.”
What exactly did Gabriel do over there?
Though I was slightly baffled, I didn’t show it in front of the Demon King.
“So, what do we do now?”
“We’ll have to try persuading them with gifts. Ultimately, it’s not them but us who will regret it if the alliance doesn’t go through.”
“Do you plan to send another delegation?”
“Yes.”
“Can I go?”
“You?”
“Considering there’s no immediate battlefield for me right now, I’ll head there, persuade them, and return quickly.”
“…Do you think that’s possible?”
“If this is about fighting the Elves, we should try everything we can. Even if we lose later, at least we won’t feel regretful.”
The Demon King, who had been staring intently at my face, chuckled softly and nodded.
“Alright. Do as you please.”
“Thank you for trusting me, Demon King.”
“It must’ve been tiring traveling such a long distance. Go rest for today. I’ll prepare everything for your mission to Nídavellir.”
“Yes. Thank you for your kindness, Demon King.”
With that, I rose from my seat along with the other companions who had waited quietly behind me, ready to leave the office.
Before we could, the Demon King asked,
“When do you plan to finally get married?”
“Huh?”
Caught off guard, I repeated the question, to which the Demon King responded with a mock-serious expression.
“Isn’t it about time? You’ve been living with Ozma for two years now. It’s time to think about marriage.”
“Uh… Can we think about it after the war ends?”
“Don’t make her wait too long. I’d like to see my grandson before I die.”
With that, the Demon King sent me a look that carried an odd sense of pressure.
Unable to meet his gaze, I hurriedly left the office.
[[#]]
The lodging assigned to me was the same room I stayed in when I first joined the Demon King’s Army.
As I unpacked my belongings, reminiscing about old times, Camilla, who had been standing silently behind me, asked,
“Will you be taking a bath and going to sleep tonight?”
“Yeah. Since we’re at the Demon King’s Castle, might as well relax in some warm water.”
The castle had a massive bathhouse, allowing those who loved baths to clean themselves multiple times a day.
Since it had been a while since I’d last taken a proper bath, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to soak and sweat it out now.
“Is there a free time slot for the bath?”
“The bath is unused between 9 PM and 10 PM every day. If you wish, I can reserve it for you.”
“Then please do.”
“Yes, sir.”
After hearing my response, Camilla bowed respectfully and left the room.
This left only Sophia and me inside.
When I started changing clothes, Sophia voluntarily came forward to assist me.
“Are you comfortable doing maid duties?”
Sophia nodded casually, replying,
“I did much harder chores back in the countryside.”
“Ah, that’s right. You mentioned you’re from the countryside.”
“Yes. If Prince Tipetarius hadn’t found me, I would’ve still been enduring mistreatment there.”
I paused mid-change.
“Are you resenting me?”
“No. You are my master, and I cannot harbor resentment over past events. Unless, of course, I receive a different command.”
Her words, though seemingly casual, struck deep.
Though she didn’t mean it this way, each word felt piercing.
While brainwashing her with magic seemed fine at first, I never anticipated feeling guilty afterward.
Thus, dealing with Sophia remained an ongoing challenge for me.
The best outcome would be for her to willingly stay loyal to me even after removing the enchantment, but considering her previous hostility, that option wasn’t easily feasible.
“I’m done.”
“Ahh, thank you.”
While I was lost in thought, she had finished helping me change.
After checking my appearance in the mirror, I turned to Sophia and said,
“You must be tired from walking around all day. Why don’t you rest?”
“I’m fine. Being a hero means enduring more than this.”
Despite being enchanted, she still showed strong personal opinions, sometimes making me wonder if she was truly under a spell.
Since she insisted she was fine, I stopped pushing and simply told her to do as she pleased.
I then flopped onto the bed.
There was still time before dinner, so I decided to take a nap first.
“Please wake me when it’s time for dinner.”
“Yes, sir.”
Though her curt reply was somewhat disappointing, having a beautiful maid like Sophia around was satisfying enough.
Something I could never have dreamed of in my past life.
Rubbing my gritty eyes and gazing at the ceiling, I soon drifted off to sleep.
[[#]]
Waking up and eating dinner at the Demon King’s Castle was delightful.
Given that these chefs prepared meals exclusively for the Demon King, it was only natural for the food to be delicious. But perhaps it tasted even better due to how long it had been since I last ate here.
And as they say, a full stomach leads to comfort.
Accompanied by Camilla, I headed to the bathhouse, perfectly timed for relaxation.
“Wow!”
The massive bathhouse was completely empty.
Apparently, the claim that no one used it during this hour was true.
As I, naked, looked around the spacious bathhouse in awe, Camilla, equally unclothed, asked from behind,
“You’ve been here many times already. Why are you acting so surprised?”
“This is the first time I get to use it alone. Before, it was always packed.”
“You have a surprisingly cute side to you.”
“What? Huh?”
Confused, I turned to look at Camilla, only to find her smirking confidently as she revealed her ample bosom.
By doing so, her beautiful chest, certainly not small, stood out even more.
“Stop standing there and get in already.”
I turned my head at the sound of Sophia’s voice.
However, instead of being naked, Sophia had wrapped herself in a towel.
“Why are you wearing a towel?”
“Even among acquaintances, something embarrassing remains embarrassing.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at Sophia’s confident response.
She clearly didn’t seem embarrassed at all.
In any case, the three of us eventually submerged ourselves deeply in the hot water.
