Episode 48 – The Art of Ruling (8)
“How is the front line situation?”
“It’s not good. The Lords have united, and they’ve hired a large number of mercenaries with their money, but the number of demons is overwhelming. It’s hard to understand how they are able to produce so many. It has been reported that in the territories we have taken from the old Orc Domain and Lady Lamia’s Territory, their eggs continue to pour out even now.”
The entire northern region is in chaos. The cause is, of course, the sudden appearance of a horde of monsters.
But those creatures exploited the existing factions’ underestimation and swiftly grew into a powerful force that now threatens them.
“My Lord! These fiends cannot coexist with us. Do you know where their countless soldiers come from? They devour everything living—mana beasts, demons, plants, it doesn’t matter! After they pass, nothing but barren wastelands remain. Their ultimate goal is to consume the entire world!”
With a dry expression, Lord Ludras listened as the envoy of the Gargoyle clan bowed again and appealed to him earnestly.
This envoy had already visited several times, passionately condemning the savagery of the demons and urging a united fight.
“Their forces have obliterated Viscount Zik’s Orc Domain, traversed it, and brought about the downfall of Viscount Rosaline’s Lamia Domain. Now, they are attacking the neighboring territories to the south. However, in the entire process, they have never once attacked us.”
Finally, Ludras slowly opened his mouth. The envoy stared anxiously at Ludras’s lips.
“What do you think is their intention? It can’t be a coincidence, that much is clear to everyone.”
“They, despite appearances, are highly intelligent beings. Judging by how they set traps, lure enemies into ambushes, and coordinate their movements like a unified organism during war—without a doubt, they’re trying to sow discord among us.”
The gargoyle, tense but composed, gave a commendable answer, understanding fully that failing to convince Ludras would mean the end.
“They are trying to use our entire territory, including mine, to manipulate us,” Ludras replied.
Upon hearing this, Ludras smirked. Even though his eyes remained unchanged, seeing only his lips turn upward surprised the envoy.
‘Indeed. They must have had a purpose. More than that, their plan was enacted from the start. This means they’ve been predicting this moment from their very first move.’
Ludras recalled the first report he received about the horde. A small northern frontier town had reportedly fallen to a previously unseen swarm of mana beasts. The news was so absurd that some believed neighboring territories were behind the attack.
But they were wrong. The mana beasts quickly multiplied in numbers and attacked Orc Domain, completely obliterating it.
At that time, none expected a Demon domain to fall so easily to the likes of mana beasts.
“Our enemy has deliberately refrained from touching my territory to sow discord among us,” Ludras continued. “This is behavior beyond mere instinct. There is definitely… something more.”
When Zik’s territory fell, Ludras naturally assumed the enemy would pour into his own, the closest domain, and issued a mobilization order for his northern frontier.
However, the demons bypassed his territory, concentrating instead on Lamia Territory adjacent to the Orc Domain. From the moment Ludras learned of this and realized the threat from the new enemies, he chose not to intervene.
“They move like a disciplined army. Their tactics are sophisticated, their logistics flawless, and their command structure precise. This means there is a ‘king’ leading them.”
Ludras speculated without hesitation that they were ruled by a queen.
And he was also certain that this queen might be an intellectual being capable of communicating on an equal footing.
“Wouldn’t that make them no different from us who have fought each other for centuries when our ancestors established territories in these lands?”
The envoy sensed danger and was shocked, but Ludras’s eyes sparkled.
Ludras was the kind of person who would do anything if it suited his interests—including aligning with the monstrous queen who was currently laying waste to the land.
“You can’t be serious! Think of the pride of our demons. Are you willing to cast it aside and team up with creatures of unknown origin?”
“Pride and honor won’t feed anyone. You’re being far too emotional. I have no intention of kneeling to those beasts.”
Ludras sneered as the envoy tried to dissuade him. Ludras hated irrational behaviors driven by attachment to pride and honor instead of practical gain.
“If we are to negotiate with the leader of those unknown beasts, then we must have some leverage over them. Prepare the troops for battle.”
Ultimately, Ludras decided to mobilize his army, but the purpose was not as the other lords hoped—to unite and drive the monsters out. Instead, Ludras intended to use the situation to make himself the absolute ruler of this region, and he planned to take advantage of the horde to achieve it.
“If you could only understand! You’ll see for yourself—they are vicious and merciless demons who are beyond reasoning,” the envoy pleaded.
“Escort the envoy out.”
Following these words, the gargoyle envoy was virtually dragged out. The hobgoblins left behind merely observed Ludras, unsure what to do next.
“We will attack their base and deal significant damage before attempting any negotiation.”
“My Lord, do you truly think those monsters will negotiate?”
“I’ve already confirmed they possess sufficient intelligence. They’re exploiting us to take over this land. Should we just sit by idly? If they intend to claim any portion of this land, we must have something to counter with.”
The aides were appalled by the idea of negotiating with the horrifying creatures, but Ludras remained unshaken.
He was confident that capturing their lifeline during the incursion would provide ample leverage for negotiation.
*
“Hmm. The hobgoblins are moving. Is this where it ends, then?”
Ludras’s movements were soon reported to the Queen, who already had reconnaissance units spread out in all directions to monitor the situation. The news was not difficult to acquire.
“But it’s not quite clear whether this movement is coordinated with the other lords.”
[Reconnaissance reports show numerous hobgoblin troops gathering in the north. All soldiers are fully prepared for combat, ready to invade our territory at any moment.]
If Ludras had decided to side with the lords, sending his forces to the western border to launch a surprise attack on the rear of the army would have been far more effective.
Rather, the hobgoblin troops were disregarding the suffering of the other lords and marching north, which didn’t seem like a coordinated effort.
‘Is this a unilateral action? Then, what’s the purpose?’
The Queen pondered Ludras’s intentions.
Unless he was under the delusion that his troops alone could eliminate all their enemies, there must be some other reason driving him to advance north.
“Could he want something from me?”
While unsure, the Queen correctly guessed Ludras was up to something. A sly smile spread across her face.
Regardless, the numerous hobgoblin units were headed straight for her base, where most of her troops were absent.
Now, the Queen faced the task of confronting them, even though the worst-case scenario—attacks from all the lords—had been avoided. Nonetheless, she was now dealing with a two-front war.
“It’s time to evaluate our defenses.”
『Awareness Enhancement Level 7』
『Physical Enhancement Level 6-5』
『Reproduction Enhancement Level 7-1』
After reviewing the upgraded attribute page she’d developed over time, the Queen prepared for battle against the hobgoblins.
Although most of her army was concentrated on the western front, she didn’t feel at a disadvantage. Using the resources she had gathered and the existing nests, a substantial army could be immediately produced.
And that wasn’t all. Her calculations, analyses, and accumulated data allowed her to create even newer soldiers.
“In any case, this is what I set out to create from the start,” she said with satisfaction.
The Queen grinned as she looked at a specially engineered artificial womb, now grown large enough to fill a building. The massive eggs produced by this womb required numerous workers to relocate.
The prototype abomination born from those eggs was expected to become yet another catastrophe on the battlefield.
