Chapter 16 Greywolf Castle This castle which houses the entire elite of humanity is now facing another crisis. The sudden disappearance of the demon lord forces shocked them. Soldiers were happy to the utmost. The war is going full but the demon forces melted in their front. People are now celebrating nonstop as the food supply which should last for a few years is being used. The people both soldiers and normal workers went wild. The moment seems magical as everyone can't stop smiling even without reason. The vibe in the air carried far and wide. It should have been a jubilant occasion but the fact is, the demon lord is nowhere to be found. This fact alone made the officers restless more than when battling head on the field. The masses fell into ecstatic mood while emperors grew more restless as time went by. Klein as the highest authority in command had his fair share of headache. He kept on searching for the reason but the soldiers were doing it half-assed. He wanted to scream to the jubilant population that the war is not yet over but facts are hard to oppose. The masses accepted the victory as a whole despite not knowing where the demon lord is. "This is hard on its own way." Klein massaged his temple. His stress level is higher compared when he was on the battlefield. At least out there he can vent his frustration. In the throne room, he can only listen to the jubilant reports. He don't know why he is feeling down despite all that. He should be happy and all. Humanity has won once again. "Is there any news from the rescue team?" Klein asked his friend and right hand man. "They sent letters telling that they are still tracking the beast." The man said in response. His tone was apologetic. Klein sighed. His cousin Lisa was suddenly taken by a winter infernal during an exercise. He can't possibly rush there himself so he sent his men instead. The Thought that his cousin is dead burdens him a lot. He can't think of how he will convey that news to his aunt. "Let them increase their area for five days." He hung his head low. "If they can't find her then order the retreat." The man also hung his head low. He doesn’t know Lisa that well but she was one of the pillar that supports Klein emotionally. He can't picture out how Klein would manage if she was not there. He can see Klein going mad and rush towards the enemy if there is no Lisa to hold him back. "I will be sure to convey your words." He bowed and left the room. When the room finally fell into silence, Klein stood up from his throne and walk towards the balcony. He can see the festival going full swing. Stores lined up along the roads accompanied with countless people. The city finally becomes peaceful. "Where are you?" No one knows if he is asking for Lisa or the demon lord. The sound was only heard by the wind. Fallen into deaf ears of no one. Drake POV, 200 km. from the frontline I want to go home so bad. This place is full of sugar! People kept on shouting randomly. The whole human race has gone insane I tell you! I can't stomach this event anymore. When I am about to dash out and activate magic, someone grabbed my robe from the back and I see Lisa. "What are you doing?" Her eyes are heavily tinted with accusation. "You can't possibly think of fleeing right?" My veins popped out for sure. This whole thing of exploring is turning to be a bad idea as I expected. The things I stored in my inventory is the only brake that is keeping me from exploding. "You know, for a mere bug you sure are getting too familiar with me." I tried sounding menacing and I can see her backing out. I grin and I walk towards her with slow and heavy steps. "If I want something, no one can stop me." I said near her ears. "Or you want to be the first to stop me?" Her face is so red like she was about to explode. The bird landed abruptly on her shoulders breaking the tense atmosphere. "You can stop teasing her now Drake." The sound in my head still sounded weird for me. I can't get use to this kind of communication. The bird is special as it can speak to anyone's mind without any opposition. Someday, I want to make him my pet. "You idiot!" The girl in question kicked me on the legs as she ran away. I laugh as I see her back fading into the background. As usual, the sheer numbers of bugs around me never fails to amaze. I am foreign to the moment but I somehow dislike this. The thought of being heavily surrounded by trash is no good. "Are you seeing another side of humanity in this way?" the bird asked me as it landed on my shoulder. I am about to comment about how is audacious he is but I let it go. I gathered my thoughts to see what I can say. Do I see anything new? They are all fooling around without knowing that tragedy will soon fall on them. They are still clueless until danger is staring at them. "All I can see is how foolish they are. When the soldiers come back to their respective area then they will see what tragedy is." I said as I look around. "Tell me, what else should I see?" The bird was silent for a bit before it flew away. I don't know what that bird is thinking but I can somehow feel the anxiety from him. Betting with the devil is never a pleasant one. The only possible result of this is heartache. What should I do in this peaceful land? My thoughts once again begun to wander. I won't be able to see anything with use if things go like this. Should I mess some things to see how will the people react? The idea seems tempting and I cast an inferior summoning. It can only summon low level beasts and I made sure to turn off my multi-cast. The beast appeared about a hundred meters from the gates and it roared into the gates. It dashed towards the gates in a crazed manner. The soldiers saw the beast and begun to ring the bells. Soon, the whole city was buzzing with ringing bells. There are only about twenty low level beast and I know this city can defeat it with ease. The only goal I have in mind is to see how people will react. Let me see. Let me taste the fear. Let me experience your selfishness. The in-born desire to save oneself no matter what the cost. Let me see it all and add it to my conviction. The city was in sudden chaos and I can see people crumbling here and there while others lock themselves. A few children were crying and calling for their mothers and fathers. Soldiers are trying to pacify the situation but it is doing minimal effect. Suddenly, a large explosion in the air caught my attention. Everyone looked up and a female with raven colored hair is floating in the sky. I can see that she was a half-elf with how she looks. Wonder why a half-ling is hanging out with humanity. Wait... she is a half-ling alright. That explains it. "Calm down!" Her voice resounding the entire city. The humans finally calmed down somehow but their eyes were still in state of fear. The woman looked around and saw the beasts rushing towards the gates. They were a bit slow compared towards the Lost Lambs but they are more gruesome looking so they are perfect. "Soldiers at the gate! Civilians need to hide and help the injured! Do not let anyone die this time!" Her eyes were burning as bright as the sun. Then she flew towards the gates. I saw her landed behind the walls and the battle started. I am not interested about the outcome. I am only interested on how humanity act and I find it... As expected. Humanity will fall into chaos and disregard anything else until someone steps up. This race needs someone to lead. When the leader is incompetent then they can only head towards doom. Let's say they find someone competent, how long can he live for? Will the next leader be the same? Is he/she going to be horrible at it or be more competent? There is no certainty in human rule. They could have sought for an entity that can lead them but their desire to be free is hindering that. They interpret the rules as restriction and not seeing how it protects them. They consider it so little and lead into something tragic. They believe in gods but they will not listen to their words completely. It was like buying only the things that they want and can tolerate. They fail to give their own devotion. In the end, they will take matters into their hands and we know where it leads. Lisa Evergreen, is this the thing you want to show me? How correct am I? Do you want me to bring down judgement day ahead of time? Is this the courage backing you up to take on the challenge? After a few minutes, Lisa and Adarna arrived to my side. I am sitting on a bench while I watch the commotion around me. I looked at them and I can see the accusing eyes for the both of them. "What is it?" "You broke the agreement." "I did?" I chuckled. "I want to see how they will react into a situation first hand. I saw what I want to see." "Tell me Lisa of humanity, did they show something praiseworthy?" The both of them are silent. They know in their eyes that I am right. Logic and facts can never be wrong. This is the sad reality of their race. "You made those monsters to see how they will act." Lisa said in an angry tone. "Did you enjoy seeing people under the influence of fear and chaos?" "It was a test little girl." I said dismissively. "They failed miserably." "I know they will fail." Lisa said in a low voice. "But did you consider that it they would have not failed if you did not test them in the first place?" Eh? Then I should not? Not now and not in the future? "Then you are saying that I should not test humanity?" "That is right. You are to be an observer. You should not lay hand on what is to happen. How can we show you what we want if you interfere like that?" I laughed and closed my eyes. This is ridiculous. Why did I agree to this again? Right... it was the fault of the apple of temptation. What am I expecting? That there is something good about humanity? That there is something that I will find valuable among them? This is a waste of time. "You know, this is a waste of my time. Even though I have all the time in world, I am not wasting it here." I stood up and started to walk towards the direction of the island. "We have not even started! Why are you leaving? How can we show you if you leave?" I look back to her and I made sure to look her in the eyes. "History will tell me little girl." "Let history tell me that you are right. I will not attack again and will stay on the island. Let your challenge be known until its fruit reach my garden. I will see it then. Your answer to my logic and reason." I turned around and swung my arm. The space cracked and I connected it towards my island. I stepped into the vortex and appeared on my garden. I am in my garden. That should make me happy but why is this mischievous plant trying to drag me again? "You never learn..." I said as I slap its tentacles. I looked into the direction of the town I am earlier. I tried to recall the experience I got within two months. There are a few moments that almost made me explode. Fortunately, I got lots of new and interesting things. "Let me watch here in my garden. Let me see whether humanity will dance in victory or burn in flames." Lisa POV Lisa was looking into the direction which the demon lord disappeared. The events were too sudden for her to comprehend. One second she was having fun and the next second calamity struck. How am I suppose to prove him I am right? The demon lord went back to his place. A place where normal humans would never reach. A place infested with various magical beast which humanity never set foot. Even if she succeeds, she won't be able to show him directly. "What should we do now?" Lisa looked towards Adarna. She was too stunned and her thoughts were in shambles. Adarna has more formidable mental strength. Even so, Adarna was also shocked on how quick the demon lord left. It can't feel any malice from the demon lord but pure curiosity from his words. A challenge towards humanity. I think he still wants us to show to him the result. Not the orchestrated one but the real result of our efforts. He wants us to prove that not only the place we visit is real but humanity as a whole. Lisa tried to digest the words of Adarna. She felt her head ache as the challenge went on another level. It was one thing for the eyes to see but for the facts to speak... It was too hard. Let history tell me that you are right. I will not attack again and will stay on the island. Let your challenge be known until its fruit reach my garden. I will see it then. Your answer to my logic and reason. She etched those words into her heart. Her determination flared to the highest. Now she is not challenging the demon lord alone but the whole humanity. It sounds hard but at least the burden does not fall into her alone. She does not know if they will fail or succeed. She does not know if this challenge will send humanity to its doom or salvation. One thing she knows is that history will tell. She is looking forward if humanity will slap that Drake's face or he will smite down the race. The unknown field is making her heart flutter instead. She does not know what the feeling is but she likes it. Lisa looked towards her partner Adarna and nodded. "We need to inform the alliance of this." she said in a determined voice. The two walked towards the eastern gate heading towards the alliance headquarters. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A year passed and the situation in Mirth became more stable. The demons remained in their turf. They are not making so much trouble aside from few skirmishes here and there. As for humanity, their soldiers went back to their homes already. Their life started to change little by little. Some find that their life is good while some did not. Some of them are soldiers through and through. They don't know how to raise crops. They don't know how to take care of pigs and goats or any animal aside from horse. The result of war brought prosperity and poverty at the same time. The workforce increase and that means more products. The other side is that their population started to rise. With the absence of war, human life started to lengthen. It might be a good thing in general but a few years later may not be. Humans started to need more food to sustain their empires and kingdoms. Some rallied their armies to plunder either to neighboring kingdoms or other races. The prediction of Demon Lord Drake is coming true. As for Lisa Evergreen, she conveyed the challenge towards the heads of alliance. They only showed disdain and told Lisa that the demon lord is afraid of them. That is the reason that he back off and not some nonsense Lisa told them. Lisa was heartbroken and her only hope now is Klein her cousin. She tried to convince him but the return she got is a question. The location of the demon lord. Klein's eyes were bloodshot back then and made Lisa afraid. She fled the scene and went back to her hometown with a broken heart. She now realized how naive she was expecting humanity to take the threat seriously. She had not expected that they will react that way and somehow resentment started to grow in her heart. Is this the race that I am trying to protect against the demon lord? Is the demon lord right all along? Is there only doom and salvation will never come? Doubts started to grow on her and she only grew more distant to others. The experience broke not only her heart but also her conviction. She realized that she can only do so much. She is not enough to affect the destiny of humanity. If she wants to do something significant then she needs power to speak. She learned that authority only comes after reaching certain level of power. She trained herself like a madwoman. She worked herself to the full in hope to reach level where her voice would be recognized. Her efforts did not come to waste as she grew from a level thirteen superior arch magus to early supreme Magus. She has still a long way to go but she was determined to go on. Her determination drove her to reach more and people started to notice her. Not only in her empire but the whole human alliance. The sudden rise of power from someone considered as support gave them a sour taste. Some of them remembered the words she told in the past. The talk about her meeting the demon lord and the challenge. Their minds started to race various thoughts and somehow worsen their view of her. Question started to rise. What if she really met the demon lord back then? What if she received power from the demon lord? What if she joined the demon lord and pretending to be the same Lisa Evergreen? The emperors of various empires started to panic at the thought of the demon lord rising again. If what she said is real then she knows where to find the demon lord. After a year and a half since the war ended, the emperors gathered once again. Klein was not the head anymore as he sat on the side together with other emperors. There is no one in the center anymore to show that they were all equal in both power and authority. "We will now discuss on what to do with Lisa Evergreen." Once again, the human race needs to decide something.