The attack on the Baxter Consortium took place the same day.
The location, layout, and even the security measures were all completely clear. With this level of information, victory was assured.
It wasn’t as if we were the only ones to do it; it seems the Resistance Unit led by Chris executed a rescue operation. Among the Resistance, there were also quite a few Spada Slaves who had already been sold in Avalon.
In any case, the raid was executed swiftly and quietly.
Led by Sariel, the ancient EA Series sniper rifle, the “EA Heavy Rain,” was used in silent mode to eliminate the watchmen.
If multiple watchmen positioned to cover all blind spots were taken out simultaneously by sniping, an opening would open up instantly. Those inside would never suspect that most of the outside guards had been taken down without a single scream.
As expected of the elite Homunculus Soldiers, their performance was impressive. With the reliable support of marksmen, I was able to easily infiltrate the main building.
From what should have been an auction venue filled with rich gentlemen and ladies, I only heard disgusting jeers. It was unpleasant, a raw display of human desire. Even without the Cross Religion, people could easily become wicked.
While feeling fed up with such things, I cast Blackening, which was visually akin to evil black magic, onto the venue’s floor.
Inside the venue, there were slaves designated for rescue, customers consisting of ladies and gentlemen, and employees of the slave merchant and security—all mixed together. A single powerful strike wouldn’t resolve the situation. Therefore, Fiona was left behind. She wouldn’t be able to keep up with this battle.
Once I had sufficiently spread the Blackening, I was ready to storm the venue. All that remained was for Hitsugi to automatically select targets and implement protection and neutralization.
“Leave it to me, Master! Hitsugi will tie up everyone here with a noose!”
As expected, when everything is automated, humans can become useless, so I should give my own instructions. The only reliable thing is my own eyes. Safety first.
“————In that way, the rescue operation was executed. Don’t worry about the slaves captured in other locations; my unit is heading there. Everyone here will be rescued.”
“I see… This is the second time you’ve saved my life. Not only mine, but also the lives of my comrades and many of my kin. Truly, I have no words of thanks.”
Elriwood expressed his deep gratitude once more.
He is the father of Elina, and we had been trapped together in Linfeldt’s Sanctum Barrier during the Fifth Galahad War, so I was truly glad that we could rescue him safely.
Currently, we had already withdrawn from the Baxter Consortium and were bringing those rescued to the hideouts arranged by Pluriel. The Resistance members had prepared warm meals and clean changes of clothing, and everything was ready for their acceptance.
I was with Elriwood and the knights who had been at the venue, in a secluded corner of a warehouse district on the outskirts of Avalon. As the main store of the Baxter Consortium, the number of slaves in their possession was considerable. Hence, multiple hideouts had been prepared, and we were scattered across them.
There were plans for later to regroup with Sariel and the others.
“We are now heading to Baron Visseendorf’s domain to secure cooperation in liberating Avalon. After that, we plan to rescue the Spada Soldiers who were brought here en masse as mine slaves.”
“We, ‘Braveheart,’ will all cooperate. There are also quite a few Spada Soldiers. If they hear of their compatriots’ rescue, they will gladly lend their assistance.”
“That’s greatly appreciated, but there is no need to overexert yourselves. They were brought here as slaves from Galahad. They are likely not treated well.”
“Spada Soldiers are not so weak as to give up at this level. Rather, this is a perfect opportunity to avenge their resentment for not being able to fight adequately in Galahad. They won’t let this chance slip away.”
It is said that Galahad Fortress fell in a single night due to an ambush by the Eighth Apostle Ai. It was not even a fierce battle like in the Fifth War; it was likely that they didn’t even have a proper fight. I understood their feelings of frustration well.
“Personally, I would like Elriwood to show Elina a safe face before long.”
If I lost even this person, I couldn’t help but worry about what would become of Elina, who had already resigned herself as the Guild Master.
Even without being brainwashed by Lily, her enthusiastic work while shouting “Annihilate the Crusaders!” radiated immense spirit. Does Elina not resent the Crusaders more than I do?
“I would also wish to do so, but… I cannot show my daughter a disgraceful image of abandoning my comrades to return home alone. Listen, Chrono, in front of my precious daughter, a father must be a proud hero, nothing less.”
That is a commendable mindset. Becoming a father is a tremendous responsibility. Can I really handle this? I’m starting to feel anxious about it.
“Well then, I ask for your cooperation. Please lend me your strength.”
“Yes! We all gladly submit to the command of Your Majesty the Demon King.”
As dawn broke, we left the hideout in the warehouse and boarded the cargo dragon cart under Pluriel’s guidance, escaping the capital Avalon. We were heading straight to Baron Visseendorf’s domain in the northern part of Avalon.
We safely regrouped with Sariel and the others along the way. We boldly disguised ourselves as the caravan of “Make Love Enterprise.”
“The roads are quite congested!”
Being quietly cooped up in the cart or dragon carriage isn’t my style, so I rode a horse as a guard adventurer, technically more of a proper adventurer, while pretending to be a guard. With our perfect disguise, there was no need to hide, as we used the largest road connecting the capital and the baronage.
It was a distance that could typically be covered in just two days, but around the end of the first day, it was clear the road had become congested. It didn’t look like a bustling market with large caravans; rather, there was a familiar presence in this congestion.
“They’re migrants heading to Windham.”
“I thought so.”
Sariel, who was also disguised as an adventurer, informed me.
The people traveling along the road were not merchants but a pitiful group moving as families, carrying all their belongings. And among them, there wasn’t a single human.
“It seems some have abandoned entire villages.”
“In villages with a high population of other races, it might be faster to simply demolish them.”
That must be based on experiences from the Crusader era. The illustrious Seventh Apostle would hardly bother with the tedious task of occupying rural villages, after all.
That’s the kind of approach you can’t help but see.
The sight of old and young, men and women lugging their belongings in carts, trudging along, resembled exactly what I had seen in Alsace. Only the fact that the Crusaders with murderous intent were not chasing us from behind made this scenario much better.
“There’s nowhere to escape to.”
Fiona, running alongside me, said it as if it were someone else’s business.
“As long as we remain on Pandora, we cannot escape the Crusaders.”
“You can’t escape from Lily, though.”
Is that what you meant by that…?
However, perhaps the Crusaders and our Imperial Army fighting against them are not too different, as they won’t allow for a peaceful existence devoid of war.
“If we acquire Avalon, they won’t need to run away anymore.”
“Yes, from now on, they will have to stand and fight.”
Perhaps there really isn’t much of a difference… Continuing onward, we moved along the increasingly crowded road of migrants while grappling with complex feelings.
15th of the Moon of New Sun.
We left the capital in the early morning of the 12th, and although the road was congested with migrants, we arrived at the baronage by dusk on the 13th, as scheduled.
To protect the vast border along the Asbel Mountain Range, which borders Windham, the baronage is expansive. It boasts a width that extends nearly east to west across the northern part of Avalon. On the eastern edge, where it meets Windham and Spada, is Asbel Village, where the Adventurer Guild responding to the Last Rose Subjugation is located.
For that reason, even after entering Baron Visseendorf’s territory, we had to spend another day traveling to his castle.
And today, the 15th. We were scheduled for a morning meeting.
That’s to be expected; after all, Celis himself had come. It was clear he was an envoy from King Miriard, and the baron himself would want to confirm the success of the exile directly.
I headed to the office where the baron was waiting with Celis by my side.
“——–I have understood the details.”
Starting with greetings for our first meeting, I expressed joy for King Miriard’s successful exile and sincerely thanked him for the Empire’s acceptance, then after explaining the current Avalon Liberation Operation in detail, I finally took a breath.
Baron Visseendorf was a middle-aged elf with a well-groomed face befitting his nobility. While Elriwood was the passionate wild type, this one exuded a cool, intellectual demeanor.
However, possibly from recent stresses, his complexion was slightly poor. With his appearance and pale skin, he resembled a vampire more than an elf.
The baron, wearing a troubled expression, opened his mouth solemnly.
“In accordance with the edict of His Majesty King Miriard, we shall raise forces to retake the capital.”
It seemed he had made up his mind. No, he had likely decided long ago, one might say.
He had already seen King Miriard’s proclamation, so he must have anticipated this future.
“Thank you for your decision. His Majesty Miriard will surely be pleased.”
“After you and the king left, the tightening grip from the capital has only grown harsher. Moreover, every single day, the numbers of migrants swell. I hear that not only humans but even non-human nobles are being purged one after the other, and belatedly, I have come to realize that I too would be disposed of just for being an elf.”
“Indeed. There are no exceptions in the Crusaders’ extermination of non-humans. To survive, we must fight back and resist.”
“And it is for that reason that I have become Your Majesty the Demon King…”
“Yes, and therefore I will never abandon Avalon. Now that it seems there is no need to question your resolve any longer, let’s discuss specific plans. Our time is limited.”
Following the proclamation, the baron would raise forces under the banner of demanding the legitimate king’s return, denouncing the unjust abdication of King Miriard; however, this wouldn’t happen immediately.
In the limited time we have, we needed to gather and unify as many allies as possible.
The baron would call out to other noble races in neighboring territories, and we would liberate the Spiral Horn Baronage as recommended by Pluriel and rescue the Spada Slaves entirely.
“However, will that be enough troops…?”
“It likely won’t be.”
Even with the alliance established between Lily and King Miriard and reinforcements coming, it might barely be enough to stand on equal footing.
Despite the fact that many soldiers were drawn away during the Great Expedition, adequate defensive forces remained to protect the nation and especially the capital. We could not underestimate that.
“Moreover, I hear there is the ‘Holy Grail Alliance.’ It is said the Crusaders, who subdued Spada, have formed a pact with them. If the capital were to be in jeopardy or once we raised our forces, would they not call for support from the Crusaders? If they joined forces, the difference in military strength would be overwhelming.”
“This conflict is a civil war. While we might seek aid if attacked by outsiders like Windham or Rune… we cannot ask for help merely because a civil war has broken out.”
“I see, then does that mean that the ‘Holy Grail Alliance’ isn’t as harmonious as it appears?”
“Even if they believe in the same god, there is a fundamentally different mindset between those who came from the outside and those who have lived here from the beginning. Neo-Avalon and the Crusaders share the same enemy, the demon race, but they are not rivals who can coexist.”
At the very least, considering Nero’s character, he would never seek help from the Crusaders. While he might accept their offer of assistance, he would never be the one to say, “Please help us!”
There is no need to say it. It is the strength of the ultimate Apostle he obtained to prevent such a situation.
Although His Holiness Nero is currently absent… the same goes for Duke Arclight, who has taken up the mantle in his stead. Unlike Bishop Gregorius, who is a pawn of the Crusaders, he is the representative of a long-hidden clan of covert Crusaders.
The age of suffering and endurance that has lasted since ancient times is indeed one of trials and tribulations. However, long suffering becomes a source of pride in proportion to what one has endured.
With the arrival of the Crusaders, the long-awaited moment of prophecy has finally come. However, this is not the coming of the savior himself; rather, it is recognized as the long-desired chance for those of us who have steadfastly maintained our faith through numerous hardships to finally be rewarded.
This is not just my simple imagination. It is a fact. The ones captured by Lily from the Silvarian Familia provided certain information we extracted from their brains.
They have no intention of handing over the entire continent to the Crusaders who came from elsewhere. They possess the pride and self-importance that only those who have continued to uphold the faith here since ancient times hold the rightful authority to govern Pandora.
Even if they succeed in exterminating all demon races, they will likely continue to engage in bloody territorial disputes between native and outsider believers on Pandora. Even under the rule of the Cross Religion, peace will never reach humankind.
The existence of demon races is irrelevant. I know well from my own experiences that even in a world comprised only of humans, conflict is never-ending.
“Duke Arclight will absolutely not seek assistance from the Crusaders. He would want to avoid even the perception that they lack the strength to govern Avalon.”
“Indeed, if they show weakness, the Crusaders will use that as justification to intrude continually. The Crusaders are formidable; if we permit them even once, it’s likely they wouldn’t be able to be stopped by the duke alone.”
If it were Nero himself, he could likely purge the arrogant and troublesome Crusaders who, for reasons known to him, dared to intrude. However, it would be impossible for Duke Arclight, merely a believer, to take such drastic measures.
They should just be engaged in skirmishes with the Crusaders instead of launching a Great Expedition.
“However, if we reclaim Avalon, things will be different.”
If Duke Arclight falls, and the Crusadering forces calling themselves Neo-Avalon are wiped out, Spada’s Crusaders will then have the justification to march into Avalon.
It remains uncertain whether the Crusaders would act immediately or not. The Eighth Apostle Ai can be quite capricious. If he wishes to keep me on a leash, he might not make a move, and if he suddenly feels he can no longer suppress his excitement, he could come here alone.
Moreover, there is the new Commander-in-Chief of the Crusaders, Cardinal Arus, who has taken over for Sariel. It is unknown what judgment he will make.
According to Sariel, he is an extremely capable individual both as a commander and a clergyman, so it’s unlikely that he will act unpredictably like Ai… but conversely, if he mobilizes the Crusaders, that would mean he has sufficient confidence to do so.
If I consider the worst-case scenario, it would be that after we defeat Neo-Avalon, the Crusaders invade with a massive army of 100,000 before we can regroup and set our own strength.
“Returning to the matter at hand, even if things proceed as planned, we still have the issue of insufficient military strength, but there is one potential support.”
“Is there anything we can rely on now?”
“Windham.”
“Hmmm, indeed we have established a somewhat friendly relationship with Windham now, but… Neo-Avalon is engaged in a Great Expedition, so it seems they are currently ignoring Windham.”
Thus, Windham has no room to act.
As a state of the Cross Religion, Neo-Avalon is not acknowledging filthy Harpy states, showing no goodwill in greeting a new nation. Windham is likely aware that a major political upheaval has occurred in Avalon but remains perplexed about the specifics.
However, even if the baron were to call out, “Please help us!” there would be no response of “Leave it to me!” There is no reason to act, meaning there is no benefit in deploying troops.
Then we must provide a sufficient benefit to move their troops.
“We will cede the eastern edge of the baronage near Asbel Village to Windham.”
“Wha—!?”
Even the baron couldn’t help but display a look of surprise. After all, if one were to tell the ruler of this land to give up his territory, it would be no surprise if he drew his sword in anger right then and there.
“And for what reason would you do this?”
The baron, managing to suppress such anger, kept his composure, as his appearance suggested.
“The south beyond the Asbel Mountain Range is the land Windham has long coveted. They have fought for it for a long time.”
“Yes, this land has been protected from ferocious Harpies since the time of my ancestors, even before the first lord of Visseendorf.”
“Though now they have given up and settled for a friendly relationship, they must still covet this place. Even if it is merely a small part of the region, if we offer this, they will likely swallow most demands.”
“So you seek support from Windham in retaking the capital in exchange.”
That is a straightforward transaction.
“However, no matter how desperate the situation, ceding territory should not be done too easily. There are nations that have fallen because they gave up land in a moment of greed, and areas that have continued to be contested for a hundred years.”
“No, land can be taken easily. In the face of overwhelming military strength, any pretension of justification or tradition means nothing—do not worry about it, baron. This land will either be taken by Windham first or by the Crusaders, only a difference in order.”
“You mean to abandon this land from the start.”
“It is impossible to defend against the Crusaders. Constructing a defensive line strong enough to stop them… this is about the limit.”
I pointed to the map of Avalon unfolded on the table.
I wasn’t just pointing haphazardly. This was the area where one could benefit from the power of the Original Monolith located in Avalon.
The adventurer party composed solely of Homunculus, “Pixies,” that had been active in Avalon had even conducted investigations into the distribution of local monoliths and the activation states of earth veins and dragon holes.
To stop the Crusaders’ massive army, we would need a fortified defense line comparable to Galahad Fortress, along with the power of the monolith.
“Even with this defense line, I cannot say it is absolute. Therefore, I want Windham to serve as our shield. This is the land of a millennial dream. They would surely take pride in protecting it.”
However, no matter how hard they try, they won’t be able to halt the Crusaders’ invasion. The Dragon King Gavinal of Daedalus and the Sword King Leonhardt both fell.
I cannot believe that Windham possesses a military power that can stand in line with these two, nor can they be expected to construct a colossal fortress on the newly acquired land in a short time.
“These are measures necessary to continue protecting after we reclaim Avalon. Yet, eventually, my Elroad Empire will reclaim Spada as well. The ceded land will be restored at that time.”
As I looked at the line of migrants heading toward Windham, Fiona mentioned that she couldn’t escape from Lily.
But that’s not it. From here on out, I, this Demon King, won’t allow any escape.
Currently, Windham may be tangentially unrelated due to its geographical position. I will drag this peaceful nation into a war with the Crusaders. This is one of the strategies I have devised for the liberation of Avalon.