Chapter 222

Blunder

We were teleported on our way in, but we had to ride horses on the way back .

The demons might have changed course if they couldn’t see Claire-sama, so we matched their pace .

Even Claire-sama, despite being used to riding a horse, seemed to have slightly sore buttocks .

Perhaps it was because she had nothing to do with horses after she’d become a common .

Me?

Don’t even ask .

When we returned to the fifth fortress while I applied healing magic to Claire-sama and myself, General Zasha welcomed us .

“I’ve heard about it . The operation seems to have been a big success . ”

General Zasha didn’t show much emotion on his typically of a military man, but he still slightly narrowed his eyes as he praised us for our success .

“It’s thanks to the troops you lent us . They protected us all the way back . ”

“It’s only natural . Her Majesty Dorothea… No, that’s wrong now . Her Majesty Philine has entrusted you to us . We couldn’t let anything happen to you . ”

“We’re grateful . ”

General Zasha continued .

“The demon army seems to have taken the path to this fortress without any issues . We will be initiating a withdrawal now . ”

“I see . ”

“Claire-san, Rei-san, please return to the imperial capital first . We’ll have somebody who can use teleportation come with you . ”

“Thank you for you hard work,” added General Zasha, but,

“… General . May we trouble your troops some more?”

Claire-sama said such a thing .

General Zasha looked puzzled .

“I don’t mind, but… why?”

“I have an unpleasant premonition . However, it’s just a feeling, so I can’t explain it well . ”

“Hum…?”

General Zasha stroked his chin and pondered over Claire-sama’s words .

“Well, that kind of sixth sense is also important in war . And above all, I couldn’t be more grateful than to have the revolutionary maiden join our withdrawal . ”

“Then…?”

“Yes, I wish you’d stay with us for a while longer . ”

“Thank you . ”

Claire-sama and General Zasha shook hands with each other .

“I apologize for making the decision on my own, Rei . ”

“I don’t really mind, but… what is that unpleasant premonition?”

“You see, not only Arist wasn’t there, the demons fell for the provocation too easily too . Something is wrong . ”

Claire-sama felt that things were going too well .

“Aren’t you overthinking it?”

“I hope I am . However, I want to be prepared just in case . ”

Claire-sama faintly smiled as she said that .

Like this, I and Claire-sama joined in the fifth fortress’s withdrawal, but there was little that we could actually do .

Both Claire-sama and I were excellent magicians, but we were unrelated to things like group fighting or military arts .

Even though it was called a withdrawal operation, we didn’t know what we should do .

On General Zasha’s directions, we stood by and would participate in battle as necessary .

Because the withdrawal preparations had been made in advance, it didn’t take long to actually abandon the fortress .

Claire-sama and I were with General Zasha on the way back to the imperial capital in the middle of the withdrawing army .

“It looks like the demon army has entered the fifth fortress . ”

A soldier who looked into distance with magic gave us his report .

It’s finally time .

“Okay, when all the demons are in range, activate the Inferno!”

While continuing advancing, General Zasha ordered his subordinate to keep monitoring the situation .

Time passed slowly .

And a few minutes later .

“The rear of the demon army is within the effective range!”

The soldier in charge of monitoring them shouted .

“Okay! Start the Inferno!”

General Zasha put magical power into a palm-sized magical tool .

It seemed to be some kind of authentication device with an activation key to prevent the Inferno from being activated without the authority to .

The magical tool gave off red light .

“…?”

A few minutes passed .

However, nothing happened .

“W-What’s going on!?”

We’d received an explanation about the Inferno from Philine beforehand .

It was a magical tool that activated the fire and earth elements in the earth’s veins, causing a pseudo-eruption .

If it had been successfully activated, we should have been able to feel a more dramatic change .

“Report!”

“T-The Inferno… won’t activate!!”

A soldier on the monitoring duty let out a distressed cry .

“O-Once again!”

General Zasha input the magical power into the magical tool again .

The activation key appeared to be working fine .

However, the Inferno didn’t activate .

“Hum… This never gets old . The sight of human beings in despair, that is . ”

The voice came from above us .

“… Arist . ”

“Good day, Claire François . How does it feel to have your last ditch effort fail?”

The demon with bat-like wings and a frock coat said cheerfully .

“You are saying that it’s your doing…?”

“Indeed . ”

As he said that, Arist threw something big .

I braced myself for an attack, but it wasn’t that .

“Your… Your Highness!!”

It was the body of a human being .

It had a single stab wound in the chest .

From what General Zasha said, it seemed to be the Crown Prince, who should have been overseas .

“Humans are ugly… Truly ugly…”

“You bastard! What did you do to His Highness!?”

General Zasha drew his sword and slashed at Arist in the sky above .

He had terrifying jumping power .

Arist fought back with his extended claws .

“What, I haven’t done much . I only had him tell me the activation key of that Inferno magical tool . ”

“Stop joking around! His Highness would never be cajoled!”

As he slashed twice, thrice in the air, General Zasha denied Arist’s words .

“Of course not, under normal circumstances . But we have people who are very good at getting into the crevices of the human mind . ”

“–! It’s Salas, isn’t it!”

“Good guess, Claire François . ”

Arist affirmed Claire-sama’s words .

“Our spies have had information about the empire’s secret weapon for quite some time now, and I’ve often come to this area to search for it . But I couldn’t find it . So we decided to approach people who might know about it . ”

So the crown prince is that person .

“He was quite stubborn and wouldn’t talk . He didn’t fall for Salas Lilium’s suggestion easily . But just the other day, something happened that disappointed him . ”

“What are you trying to say!?”

General Zasha attacked fiercely, but Arist continued undisturbed .

“It was the cession of the imperial throne . ”

“–!”

I see, so that’s why .

“He didn’t expect Dorothea Naa to abdicate it so easily, and was blindsided by Philine Naa taking it over . My heart goes out to him for his disappointment . ”

“Nonsense–!”

“No, no, it’s true . In his heartbreak, he finally succumbed to Salas’s suggestion . That’s why we were able to change the activation key of the Inferno . ”

Kukuku, Arist chuckled in a low voice .

Told you .

This all happened because Dorothea didn’t lay the groundwork for abdication .

Dorothea may be superior as an individual, but she’s extremely clueless about subtleties of people .

She is probably too strong to understand the weaknesses of the human heart .

“But well, I don’t understand humans well . I got him to spit out the activation code, but I couldn’t extract any more information from him as he stabbed himself in the chest with my claw . It seemed like he wasn’t fully under mind manipulation . ”

Arist wouldn’t understand .

It’s just a possibility, but the crown prince might have refused to be a puppet of the demons at the very end .

His heart showed weakness, but also strength to overcome it .

Aristo, who didn’t seem to have the slightest interest in such matters, slowly landed on the ground and announced to us .

“And so, I’ve had your precious magical weapon disabled . It’s time you all get trampled down . ”