Chapter I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake. 182
I Killed the Demon King. It was a mistake.
Chapter 182
When Geotech’s head flew off, the surrounding fog dispersed instantly.
Barre saw the scars Geotech had carved into the forest.
Not a single common tree or blade of grass was visible, and even ash couldn’t settle comfortably on the ground.
This was because the sticky asphalt-like substances on the ground embraced everything that tried to settle on the earth.
When Barre actually lifted and placed his foot down, it made a sticky sound.
“This smells awful.”
Raven appeared in front of Barre using spatial movement magic.
Raven floated in the air using levitation magic, seemingly unwilling to step on the ground.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Oh please! What worry?”
“You were worried.”
“Be quiet, Barre. Why have you become so persistent?”
“Because you found out I’m a doppelganger?”
Raven thought for a moment before speaking.
“So is this your real personality?”
“What’s wrong with my personality now?”
“I think you’ve become more playful. Originally, you used to speak quite stupidly with a deep voice saying things like ‘I’m hungry! Give me food!'”
“Well, there had to be some acting involved back then.”
Raven read the magic waves flowing from Barre’s body.
Perhaps because his identity as a doppelganger was revealed?
He seemed somewhat relaxed and comfortable.
Originally, there was always a hint of tension even when he slept…
This comfortable appearance looked somewhat good.
Barre looked at the forest where the fog had cleared.
It was still raining.
“More importantly, we should head back to headquarters soon. How are you? You’ve been up all night.”
“I’m fine. It’s not like staying up all night is anything new.”
True, this level of fatigue is everyday life on the battlefield.
“How are you planning to get to headquarters?”
“Since Whitey isn’t here, we’ll have to run.”
Barre handed Thunder and Lefty to Raven.
“Keep them in your spatial bag for a bit. And you get on my back.”
“What? Get on your back?”
“Yes. It’ll be much faster if I carry you while running.”
“Can you run? It’s over 300km from here to Eagle valley
“That’s slightly farther than from the Demon King’s castle to the Vampire castle. I can easily make it within 24 hours with time to spare.”
“…You brutish barbarian.”
Barre was acting nonchalant, but his mind was already with Gloria and the other unit members.
Although Raven said she had forgiven Barre, she still masked her lingering reluctance towards him with a sense of duty and consideration, like coffee grounds at the bottom of a cup.
Raven put Thunder and Lefty in her spatial pocket.
Then she climbed onto Barre’s back without hesitation.
As Barre was about to depart, someone crossed Raven’s mind.
“Wait, we left someone behind.”
“Ah, that doppelganger?”
“What should we do about him? It’s impossible to return to headquarters with him. He might cause trouble.”
Barre thought for a moment before speaking.
“We’ll see when we get there.”
Barre headed straight for the cliff nest where he had hidden him.
***
Barre and Raven quickly arrived at the hideout.
Raven checked for signs of intrusion.
“There’s no sign that anyone has entered here.”
Raven dispelled the concealment magic.
Then they saw Polius looking at Barre and Raven with an exhausted expression.
“Have you reflected on your actions?”
“…”
He seemed too tired to even speak, with dark circles under his eyes.
Well, it’s no surprise since they had buried and abandoned him for almost 6 hours.
“I’m going to make you one proposal. I don’t have much time either. So answer carefully, understand?”
“…Alright.”
“Can you communicate telepathically with your companions except Elijah?”
“…I can.”
“Then can you ask them to tell you what plans Elijah is currently making?”
His eyes wavered.
Even without using psychometry, they could tell what he was thinking.
It meant betray Elijah if you want to live.
“…I can tell you.”
Barre grabbed his head and used psychometry.
“Really? You’re not planning anything foolish?”
He smirked.
“What foolishness do you mean? Are you talking about me telling His Excellency that you two extracted information from me?”
“Yes, that.”
“Of course I plan to do that.”
Barre shuddered at this one’s blind loyalty.
It seemed he would rather die than consider betrayal.
“Fine. Then let me ask you the opposite. Did Elijah plan to kill Gloria or other unit members?”
“I don’t know. But knowing His Excellency Elijah, I think he would.”
“I see. I understand a bit about you now.”
Barre grabbed his shoulder and pulled his body out like pulling up a radish.
Though his body was already powerless and limp, his eyes remained dignified.
Barre made him kneel.
“You are not a doppelganger.”
Barre reached out to Raven.
Raven handed him the spatial bag.
Barre took out Lefty from the spatial bag.
“You are a knight.”
Barre stood beside him holding the axe.
Polius closed his eyes.
Barre placed the axe on his neck.
Barre felt his posture was quite awkward as he had never executed someone like this in his life.
“So I will respect your decision.”
Polius lowered his head.
His body trembled faintly.
That trembling clearly showed he was a human with emotions.
-Your Excellency, may your dreams come true.
That humanity made a small mercy leak from Barre’s mouth.
“Any last words?”
“None.”
Slash!
Barre beheaded him in one stroke.
Barre removed the anti-wizard handcuffs that were bound to his wrist and put them in the spatial bag.
“Let’s go, Raven. We don’t have time for this.”
***
Gloria returned to the demon realm with the Arch Duke’s letter.
Naturally, Gloria looked for Caesar but couldn’t find him.
“…Has Lord Caesar gone missing again?”
Gideon nodded with a sigh.
“Yes. He was supposed to be on a reconnaissance mission scouting the Black Horn tribe… But for some unknown reason, he’s gone missing.”
Gloria doesn’t know how to react to Caesar’s disappearances anymore.
When Caesar first went missing, she was extremely anxious, but now her feelings were somewhat ambiguous.
She was worried, but not terribly so?
An unfounded belief that Caesar would find his way back even from hell kept Gloria’s mind at peace.
“Has Sir Caesar been missing for just a day or two? He’ll be back soon.”
Jerry said while exhaling cigar smoke.
“Well, we’re not too concerned about that. What’s more worrying is that Lord Caesar transferred command authority to Lord Mitchell.”
“…What? You said Lord Caesar was missing. How could he transfer command?”
“Apparently, he sent a message through Charlie’s crystal ball yesterday morning. Saying he’d transfer all command authority to Lord Mitchell.”
“What? Then rather than missing, it’s more like… We know he’s alive but don’t know where he is… Well, I guess that is missing.”
“Lady Gloria, you don’t seem too concerned about the change in battalion commander?”
“What’s there to worry about? What matters is that Sir Caesar is alive. How much could really change just because Lord Mitchell became battalion commander?”
Jerry, who had been doing paperwork, took his hands off the typewriter and spoke.
“More importantly, we need to understand Lord Caesar’s thinking. Why did he transfer command to Lord Mitchell of all people?”
“Maybe because he can’t return to headquarters for a while?”
“That’s not it. The important question is why Lord Mitchell specifically? We have Commander Elijah and the Hero, don’t we? So why Lord Mitchell?”
“…Hmm, I wonder? Do you know something?”
Jerry spoke as if he’d been waiting for this.
“The relationship between Lord Mitchell and Commander Elijah is like that of a dog and cat. You could say they represent two powers dividing the Allied Forces. Transferring all magic command authority to Lord Mitchell could be a move to check Commander Elijah’s power.”
Gideon tilted his head.
“Is it necessary to view this as such a serious political issue? Isn’t it simply that he trusted him enough to leave him in charge?”
“Was Lord Caesar ever not political? His achievements here have overshadowed it, but he’s been involved in every major decision of the Allied Forces. Few people are as political as Lord Caesar.”
“Hmm… Is it really that serious?”
“The political fights within the Allied Forces are beyond imagination. Most of you know that’s why I retired halfway through, don’t you?”
“…It is the first time hearing it directly from your mouth, Chief of Operations.”
“Anyway, we need to think carefully about this matter. Especially since it’s time for the Commander position to change, isn’t it? It would be terrible if problems arose during such a sensitive time. So everyone…”
At that moment, a man walked into the command tent.
Gloria, Gideon, Jerry, and the other staff members jumped to their feet.
“…Loyalty.”
Speak of the devil, Mitchell really came.
“Greetings. I am Mitchell Redfield.”
Gloria was somewhat excited as this was her first time seeing Mitchell.
A comrade of Yan who killed the Demon King, and the closest to becoming the next Duke Redfield.
Though his face gives off somewhat of a thug vibe, knowing Mitchell’s honor and achievements proven through blood and flesh makes him seem quite alright.
Mitchell’s gaze, which had been scanning the surroundings, stopped on Gloria.
“Are you my adjutant?”
Ah, that’s right.
With the change in battalion commander, the commander Gloria serves would also change.
But does the adjutant position transfer automatically?
Usually, the adjutant is the first to change when the commander changes…
“Yes, Commander. I am Gloria Bellum.”
“Follow me. There are some things we need to discuss.”
As he walked out of the tent, Gloria reflexively moved to follow.
At that moment, Jerry stopped Gloria.
“Wait.”
“Why? Chief of Operations Jerry?”
“Doesn’t something seem off?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re at war right now. At the very least, he should have a sword at his side, but Lord Mitchell had no sword, did he?”
Come to think of it, Mitchell’s attire was a bit strange.
Mitchell wasn’t wearing the red armor that symbolized the Red Wing Knights, nor did he carry the Kingfisher.
Even if the armor was too heavy, a knight going around without a sword?
This is nonsense.
Roll roll!
At that moment, a head rolled into the tent, leaving a red trail.
“…!”
It was Mitchell’s head that they had just seen.
Gloria and Gideon instinctively drew their swords.
“Put down your swords.”
A red wave rushed in like a tide as the tent curtain opened.
At the front was Mitchell, wearing red armor and carrying the Kingfisher.
“I am the real Mitchell Redfield.”
Michelle wiped the blood off the kingfisher with a handkerchief while sitting in the chief seat.
“There haven’t been any reports of doppelgangers appearing since the Demon King died…”
Mitchell sent the bloodied handkerchief behind her. Gloria reflexively tried to receive the bloodied handkerchief but was stopped by a Red Wing knight who approached first. The Red Wing knight took Mitchell’s bloodied handkerchief and hung it on his belt.
“How peculiar that a doppelganger stealing my face appears right as I obtain command authority.”
Mitchell said while looking at Jerry.
“What’s your name?”
“Operations Staff Officer Jerry, sir.”
“Ah, so you’re the Operations Staff Officer who planned the Luxhope recapture operation. I was very impressed by your operational plan.”
“…Thank you.”
“Then Jerry, what’s the right thing to do in this case? Hasn’t a doppelganger imitating me suddenly appeared and caused confusion in the chain of command?”
Jerry chose his words carefully before speaking.
“According to military law, since there may be other doppelgangers copying Mitchell’s appearance, regulations state we must conduct a full search. And during the search, Mitchell must be isolated and cooperate with the search operation.”
“I see. So I have to wait in this stuffy command tent until you find another possible me?”
Mitchell’s tone was sharp. However, Jerry spoke firmly without yielding to the sharp tone at all.
“That is military law.”
Mitchell’s lips twisted.
“Let me ask you something, Jerry.”
Mitchell pointed the kingfisher at Jerry.
“Is military law above me? Or do you think I’m above military law?”
“…”
“I’ll ask again. Am I the priority, or is military law the priority?”
“The position you sit in, Commander, was established based on military law. So if you don’t respect military law, that position won’t be respected either.”
“I can see why Caesar entrusted you with the Chief of Operations position.”
Mitchell stood up and approached Jerry. His gait was calm and light like a tiger stalking its prey.
“I know you’ve received many requests while Caesar is away. The reason generals send you requests is obvious. They want you to distribute the mages while looking the other way. Since you’re this unit’s final approval authority while Caesar is gone.”
Mitchell stood behind Jerry. Jerry didn’t look at Mitchell but instead watched Gavin who was trembling. Gavin’s eyes didn’t dare turn toward Mitchell but kept checking if Jerry’s neck was still attached.
“Caesar must have been able to leave comfortably to carry out operations knowing you’re a soldier who can uphold unwavering loyalty and justice. I highly value your unwavering spirit. However…”
Mitchell placed a hand on Jerry’s shoulder. Mitchell’s hand was heavier and larger than Jerry had thought.
“I don’t particularly like people who are only upright. I don’t want a staff officer who can judge right from wrong, but rather a soldier who knows how to carry out my orders one way or another. Whether that method is right or wrong is something to evaluate later.”
Jerry didn’t feel Mitchell’s request was unreasonable. Jerry had served many commanders, and there were plenty of soldiers like Mitchell who considered their own orders more important than military law. While serving such a commander wasn’t exactly pleasant, Jerry decided to get used to it until Caesar arrived.
“Please give your orders. I will follow them.”
“There was no doppelganger. That’s all.”
Jerry thought about why Mitchell wanted this incident covered up. The answer came quickly. Given the sensitive timing of the Allied Commander position changing hands, Michelle simply didn’t want to be tied down.
“I will comply.”
“Good. How?”
“I will gather and isolate everyone who saw Mitchell until the Allied Commander transition is complete.”
A deep smile formed on Mitchell’s lips.
“So you’re not just a rigid person. I misjudged you.”
“Thank you.”
Mitchell sat in the chief seat.
“Then I’ll give my first order as commander. Tell all mages to maintain combat readiness and be on 24-hour alert. And modify the alert direction to face backward instead of toward Eagle valley.”
“…You mean to guard the inside of the unit?”
“Yes. Preparing for any contingencies.”
No one failed to understand Mitchell’s words. Mitchell was half-certain that Elijah would cause something big before stepping down.
Click here to check out my other translations.
TL NOTE:
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 50 chapters ahead, you can do so via patreon.com/ChibiGiant. OR by unlocking chapters.
Please Rate this Novel in your free time @ NovelUpdate. It will help the novel get more readers.
Schedule: Every {Wed-Sat}