I Was Abandoned by the Demon King I Served for 10 Years

Chapter 18

After meeting with Rudmila.

Durin returned to his office. The sight of the familiar table greeting him brought a sense of calm. Though a surge of motivation to work briefly arose, it didn’t last long.

This was because Spranches, who had rushed over in a hurry as soon as Durin returned to the castle, greeted him with tears of joy.

"How long has it been since I’ve seen this sight? I will make sure to serve you in the next war."

His fussiness remained unchanged. His excessive loyalty once again made Durin feel burdened. In the past, he would have told him to stop saying unnecessary things and focused on his work, but now he had a way to restrain him.

"Doesn’t the secretary have other important tasks to perform? During wartime, I am here, so you don’t need to worry too much."

Verdia stepped forward and blocked Spranches. More precisely, she shielded Durin from him. Spranches widened his eyes in surprise at her unexpected appearance, his expression one of disbelief.

"Excuse me, Verdia. I am the Demon who has served His Excellency closer than anyone else in this castle."

"War is different. Unexpected accidents can occur, so someone like me, who was once the greatest warrior of the South, must be present."

"Hahaha. That may be true, but still, serving His Excellency is my..."

A quarrel broke out between the subordinates with Durin caught in the middle. Already irritated by the near division of national opinion, the regent cut it off early. Noise in the office was unacceptable.

"Enough. Be quiet."

"Gasp!"

Only then did the two startle in realization. Verdia and Spranches, who had just realized what they had done, immediately prostrated themselves on the ground.

"Y-Your Excellency. We have committed an unforgivable sin."

"We will pay the price. Please punish us."

"......."

Once again, they had gone too far. And with two of them this time, the situation was even more severe than before. In the end, Durin, as always, turned his gaze away. He intended to remain indifferent. It seemed better to worry about fighting Angels instead. He tore open the parchment on the table and spread it out.

"......."

What would an Angel want to say to a Demon? It was likely something related to war. They always sought to conquer the Demon Realm and bring everything under the order of the light they worshipped. No matter how much they proclaimed themselves as a righteous force, their actions of subjugating other races and forcing them to worship them were unmistakably demonic.

Even the messenger sent to the Demon King’s Castle gave a glimpse of that sentiment.

[Prepare your necks and wait. Soon, I will sever all of your heads.]

It was just one line. There were no other words to be found before or after it. Despite the ostentatious gold embellishments, the content was overly simplistic. It carried an uncharacteristic crudeness for an Angel. Even if a Demon harboring resentment against him had written it, or if it were a warning letter sent as a declaration of war, there was no sense of incongruity.

"That one, huh."

The tone was familiar. Durin could immediately guess who had written it.

Angels and Demons were polar opposites, yet they were the ones who encountered each other the most. War always led them to death-filled wastelands. It was impossible to forget an opponent faced at the crossroads of life and death. The last Heavenly War had been a hundred years ago, so it had been a long time since he had seen that face.

"This time, I will make sure to settle it once and for all."

Durin clenched the parchment tightly. The two Demons, still prostrated on the ground, trembled. The sheer amount of fighting spirit emanating from him was so overwhelming that it made it difficult for lower-ranking Demons to even breathe. Unable to endure it, Verdia shakily raised her hand.

"H-Huff. Your Excellency. I-I can’t breathe..."

"Stop making a fuss, Verdia. Get up and follow my orders."

"Gasp!"

In their agony, Verdia and Spranches shot to their feet. It was their master’s command. The two stood at attention, listening intently to Durin’s words.

"From now on, endure at least this much. When fighting Angels, you will face even greater power."

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Judging by your condition, it seems today would be too much. I will handle the task of reorganizing the army myself. Return to your quarters and rest."

"Y-Your Excellency, that’s..."

"Unnecessary. I will not entertain any further objections."

Thud.

Durin withdrew his fighting spirit. The two Demons, who had been barely holding on, collapsed like puppets with their strings cut. They desperately suppressed the coughs threatening to escape. Having already disappointed him once, they couldn’t afford to show such disgrace again.

"Kuh. Kugh!"

"Eek!"

The regent had left the office.

The two Demons, unable to follow their master, pitifully rolled on the floor until the Succubus Maid came to clean.

#

Leaving the minor commotion behind, Durin arrived at the Federation Hall.

Before the war approached, the regent wanted to integrate the newly joined Southern Warriors into the Central Army. With the Demon King gone, many warlords who had pledged loyalty to the castle had defected. The mid-tier forces that had once solidified the ranks had vanished in an instant, necessitating urgent replenishment.

Durin, with the help of a Shaman, reviewed the general outline of the Demon Army.

Excluding the Royal Guard mobilized for this rebellion, the maximum number of troops the castle could muster was 6,000. This figure included every available soldier, but when filtering for those fit for the frontlines, the number plummeted to less than half.

Even 3,000 was a large force compared to the armies Durin had led before, but their opponent was no mere Rebel Army.

Heavy-armored warriors imbued with Holy Power would descend from the heavens. Those who waged war in the name of their god were nearly impervious to ordinary weapons. For Demons, who dominated battlefields with fear and momentum, they were natural enemies.

To counter them, more heavy-armored infantry like the Dullahans needed to be trained. The previous expedition had deployed 800, which was far from sufficient for conducting a war. At least 5,000 were needed to match their formations.

That was merely to hold the line. To ensure victory, even more elite units were required. However, considering the castle’s current chaotic state, that was a matter for later. Hastily recruiting soldiers who couldn’t be controlled in their fear of the immediate threat could destabilize the castle. To maintain firm command, the quality and quantity of troops had to be gradually increased.

"I tried to select usable individuals among the Southern Warriors, but many are unsuitable for pitched battles. Since they primarily fight in mountainous terrain, their equipment is light, and they prioritize mobility, making them unfit to face heavy-armored Angels on the frontlines."

"We can equip them with the castle’s gear. There’s still enough stock to arm them all."

"It’s reckless to outfit them without properly assessing their strengths and weaknesses. I plan to first equip those suited for heavy armor and consider assigning the rest to special forces."

"But what we urgently need is infantry capable of holding firm on the battlefield. Remember that the wall built by solid heavy-armored infantry doesn’t easily crumble."

The Shaman offered her advice. Durin nodded in agreement, acknowledging her point.

"I am well aware. While everyone praises the pure white knights as the blade of Heaven, I know better than anyone that the true strength lies in the infantry who endure every attack without fear. Fighting them firsthand has reminded me that our Demon Army also needs shields."

"Even so, may I ask why you are considering special forces?"

"The gap is already too wide. No matter how much we invest, we will never catch up to them. Even if we scrape together everything in the Demon Realm to face them, we wouldn’t win. The centuries of barely holding them off during the thousand-year war are proof of that."

The wall built around the Holy Knights was practically invincible. Successive Demon Kings had relentlessly attacked it, but to no avail. If they had succeeded, they would now be fighting to subjugate Heaven instead of struggling in the barren lands of the Demon Realm. Yet Demons continued to battle in desolate wastelands, while the land of milk and honey remained a distant mirage.

"If there’s one thing we excel at compared to them, it’s the diversity of our forces. Unlike the Holy Knights, composed of knights and infantry, we can form highly specialized legions to exploit the Angels’ weaknesses."

"Do you believe that will be enough to penetrate their formidable Holy Power?"

"We’ll have to scrape together even the Demon Beasts. In the coming war, I will use any means necessary."

Facing Heaven with an insufficient number of Demons. To young members of the Demon Tribe, it might seem like a dreamlike legend, but the reality was brutal. Under the blinding Holy Power, they would all burn to death. To rapidly build up the army, the regent declared he would spare no effort.

"First, we will replenish the Dullahans. Execute all surviving slave soldiers and useless prisoners to extract their souls. Volunteers will also be accepted."

"Yes, Your Excellency. As you command."

The Shaman’s hands moved swiftly. Orders were relayed in real-time to the commanders of each legion.

"I brought some of the Demon Beasts raised in the South. Register them at the Demon Beast Farm to create new units."

During the expedition, Durin had carefully observed the surrounding flora and fauna while devastating nearby tribes. What caught his eye were massive ravens and mountain goats. He anticipated that combining their traits to create Demon Beasts would significantly bolster the army’s lacking forces.

"The Great Chieftain's elite unit will be placed under Verdia's command and used as my direct forces. I will personally train them, so prepare a separate area at the training ground."

"What do you plan to do with the children offered by Ractelrun?"

"The same applies. However, send them to the reception room of the Demon Beast Farm. They will be tasked with keeping the hostages in check to prevent any rebellious thoughts."

"Then I will distribute armor to the remaining soldiers. They will serve as legionnaires."

"Good. Strive to serve the castle with utmost loyalty."

The strong Southern Warriors would become a reliable force for the castle. The army Durin envisioned had to be fearless, like one forged by Heaven. He desired unwavering loyalty, soldiers willing to march into death at his command. Combat power that transcended death would halt the Heavenly Knights and force the Heavy Armored soldiers to retreat.

That moment would be the opportunity. By deploying the Demon Beasts and all the Special Forces cultivated so far, they would seize victory on the battlefield.

A dreamlike victory. For now, it was a faint possibility that existed only in dreams.

"Your Excellency."

While Durin was tapping his fingers and deep in thought, a voice called out to him.

It was not the military advisory shaman but the castle's messenger, a harpy. The woman with red feathers fluttering approached and bowed before the regent.

"What is it?"

"A report has come from the barrier."

"Is it urgent?"

"I apologize. It is classified, so I am not privy to the details."

She folded her wings and conveyed the message to Durin.

"I was only told that someone with a twisted fate has arrived. They said you would understand upon hearing this."

"Well done."

As soon as the harpy finished speaking, Durin rose from his seat.

"There is somewhere I must go. Head to my office and bring Spranches. Tell him I will be waiting in the reception room."

"As you command!"

The harpy sprang to her feet and quickly dashed toward the King's Hall. Meanwhile, Durin looked down at the shaman who had been quietly waiting.

"For now, that will be all for the orders to the army. I will expect a report as soon as results are achieved."

"May your endeavors proceed without trouble. I hope you can carve out a path through this difficult journey."

Her final words were not a mere greeting. She was speaking of the destiny he had to bear.

As expected, the shaman was indeed a shaman. It seemed she had glimpsed the steps Durin was about to take.

He glanced briefly at the training ground before moving forward again.

"That would truly be wonderful."

The normalization of the castle without a king.

The Regent's Wind, which had quietly spread, was once again buried under the tasks at hand.