Episode 153
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“You said that the land of darkness beyond the Demon King’s territory, the Demon World, is the ‘Immortal Lord’ and the ancient Saxon clan?”
Dale asked, and the black ball nodded.
“But that was already an incalculably distant past… … .”
After saying that, Dale suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out.
Those who cannot be called the ones who rule the empire. Their race has changed their identity in various forms and has been with the history of the empire. Just like the vampires who currently stand at the top of the Red Tower and maintain immortal life by sucking the blood of others.
What’s different about Saxony?
“The beings called high-ranking demons are those who continue the ideology of the ‘Shadow Tower’ that the Immortal Lord and Ancient Saxon built in the demon world.”
“Are they people too?”
“There are people, and there are those who cannot be called people. In any case, in order to survive in that land of darkness, all those with magical powers are reborn as shadow magicians of the Shadow Tower… … They are the true identities of the high-ranking demons we are talking about.”
“Then, could it be that the ‘ancient demon tribe’ that the rich people are talking about is?”
Dale continues.
“Another Saxon? A lich who continues his immortal life?”
“They are beings who have reached a higher level.”
The black ball shook its head.
“──《Eldritch》.”
“What is it?”
“It is the ultimate form of immortality pursued by the Black Tower, which cannot be compared to the likes of Lich.”
Dale couldn’t understand what he was saying. Just because he was Dale, it didn’t mean he knew everything about the world.
“A lich is merely someone who runs away from death. By hiding his life vessel, he can escape death’s reach. But ‘Eldritch’ is not like that.”
“Then what are they?”
“He is a cheater of death.”
“… … .”
Dale couldn’t understand that right away. However, one thing he could be certain of was that their existence was that of a ‘true monster of truth’ that even the hardliners of the Black Tower could not even hand out business cards to.
“Then, if the Demon King Balor led the high-ranking demons and escaped from the Demon World, then in other words──.”
“Another escape from Saxony.”
The Great Migration of the Demon Race was nothing more than a struggle for survival as they fled the darkness of their homeland, the Demon World. And it wasn’t hard to guess who the rulers of that Demon World were.
“I escaped from the ancient demons at the top of the Shadow Tower, the Immortal Lord Frederick and the Eldritch.”
The black ball said. Dale couldn’t help but laugh at those words.
The Golden Empire is undoubtedly Dale’s enemy. But even the Shadows, whom the Shadow Church trusts so much, are not Dale’s only allies.
No, I could be sure.
As long as Dale is calling himself the ‘Shadow Lord’, the Shadow Tower and its rulers… …the ancient Saxons that rule the Demon Realm will never kneel down so easily.
No, rather, he would desperately hide his molars to take away the ‘Throne of Shadows’ where Dale sits.
From the beginning, Dale stood neither in gold nor in shadow.
But fortunately, the battlefield where Dale will be fighting right now is not the Demon World. It is simply the ‘Demon King’s Territory’ where the remnants of the Demon King who escaped from the Demon World are desperately trying to survive.
Yet, when Dale and the Imperial Crusade reach the lands of darkness at the edge of the Demon King’s Territory, will the other Saxon who remains silent beyond continue to maintain that silence?
At least, it was an unknown fact for the time being.
“… … At my father’s request, I began Lize’s magical education.”
After saying that, Dale tried to change the subject.
“What do you think?”
“A child with Saxon blood and talent.”
Dale spoke, and the black ball remained heavily silent.
“But Lize wants her magic to be a literal ‘magic’ that can surprise the people of this world.”
“… … .”
“That is why I want to respect the path of magic that Lize wants to walk.”
The black ball smiled bitterly.
“Let us become magicians who can bring mystery and wonder to the people of this world, not the darkness of Saxony.”
“Then, later on, when that child says he will inherit the ‘Darkness of Saxony’ of his own free will.”
The black ball asked back.
“What will you think when that child is reborn as a black magician who carries on our will?”
Dale’s mouth fell silent for a moment at his father’s question.
“Now I think I understand why Father and Mother were so hesitant.”
It is inevitable that children do not understand their parents’ hearts.
At the same time, it is inevitable that parents do not understand their children’s hearts.
“Still, I just want to respect Lize’s decision.”
Dale said.
“Until then, it’s our family’s duty to help Lize find her own way forward.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you said that.”
Hearing Dale’s words, the black ball smiled quietly. It was the unmistakable smile of a father thinking of his child, but at the same time, it was filled with an incomprehensible complexity.
* * *
Some time later, the castle of the Lord of the Demon Territory, ruled by the Count of Saxony.
“Sir Yones.”
In the workroom there, Dale called the Black Armor Company’s deputy captain, and Yoness was there when he called.
“Did you call, Captain?”
“Sit over there.”
Dale said.
“You have probably already heard that the Church has declared a holy war and that the Second Crusade is being assembled.”
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“Yes, we are focusing on reorganizing and strengthening our Black Armor Company accordingly.”
“Yes, and since our goal is to drive out the demons from the Demon King’s Territory… … there is a good chance that battles will unfold on multiple fronts, more than we can imagine.”
“I am also deeply mindful of that point.”
As the captain who practically commanded the Black Armor Company, there was no end to Sir Yoness’s learning. It did not stop at physical training, but also included strategies for moving organizations, units, and armies.
“Then it is time to evaluate the results of your learning.”
Dale smiled at the sight.
“Please believe me about my activities in the Crusades.”
“No, who wants to go to war right now?”
Sir Yoness shouted proudly, and Dale tilted his head.
Dale then took out what was on the table. There were wooden carvings representing each branch of the military, several maps, and even a rule book the size of an encyclopedia.
“Let’s do this together.”
It was a war game that unfolded according to stricter rules than an actual war, using models of each branch and unit.
After that, it wasn’t long before the words ‘You’re playing a game like X’ came out of Yones’ mouth.
* * *
In order to dispel the darkness of the Demon King’s Territory, the empire’s powerful forces began to gather one after another, and there was no end to the expansion of the barracks and other construction projects within the Demon King’s Territory to accommodate the soldiers.
And as people gathered, the gold in their pockets began to move, and the Duchy of Saxony, including the Demon’s Territory, was no longer a remote northern region.
Despite the harsh and harsh permafrost typical of the North, countless people gathered. Furthermore, they breathed life into the territory, and this did not stop at increasing trade within the Demon King’s territory, but also brought a golden wind to the northern region.
The Duchy of Saxony was no longer a black bear crouching in the north. The seeds sown by Dale on the foundation laid by his father, the Duke of Saxony, sprouted and bore fruit, and soon the Duchy of Saxony was reborn as a land of opportunity where wealth was moving among the few in the empire.
Based on the Guild City ledger, he was able to obtain information that others did not know, and the results of the land development project that Dale had built up were finally beginning to bear fruit.
The endless accumulation of wealth in the northern region. Most of it went to the name of the Duke of Saxony, but this was not the case for the ‘property within the Demon King’s Territory’, which could be said to be the core of it.
It was the sole property of the Viscount Dale of Saxony.
What Dale ended up with after pouring in most of his wealth was an unspeakable shopping spree.
Even within the Black Armor Company, we selected the most elite heavy armored infantry units and equipped all of their armors with ‘artifacts’.
As a personal guard directly under the ‘Black Prince’.
The absurd idea of arming each and every infantryman with a treasure worth a thousand dollars. And it won’t take long for that idea to come to fruition.
* * *
Some time after that.
It was a war that did not start overnight, and as the years passed and months passed, the ‘war’ was right around the corner.
Within the Demon King’s territory, countless nobles and their troops from each empire gathered, as well as crusaders to carry out the holy war.
The highest leaders of the crusader army were gathered in a room of the Saxon castle.
A development project to drive out the remnants of the Demon Race within the Demon King’s Territory and draw a border with the Demon World beyond it to turn it into the ‘Territory of Saxony’.
At least the fact that the ‘other Saxon’ in the Demon Realm has remained silent until now is proof that they are not paying attention to the movements of the Demons or the Empire in the Demon King’s Territory.
In other words, if we drive out the Demon King’s territory and stop our advance at the entrance to the Demon World, the possibility of another clash with Saxony is low.
“I am deeply grateful for the passion and faith of those who have gathered here.”
After organizing the information up to that point, Dale, as one of the representatives of the Crusade, spoke.
The imperial powers gathered there, examining their faces one by one.
Nobles from all over the empire who are trying to make a name for themselves, and even powerful men who have already proven their reputation but are joining the cause of the ‘Holy War’.
“And through the care of our sister gods and your deep passion, we have finally had the opportunity to gather here and drive out the ‘darkness of the Demon King’s Territory.’”
“The goddess desires it.”
Just then, the swords of the church gathered to perform the holy war raised their voices.
Another Master Templar. And there was never just one ‘Master Templar’ there.
With many white elders, including the white wizard Vorenus of the 7th Circle.
They weren’t there.
“Your Majesty Dale’s words are indeed correct.”
The courtesan of York, Catherine of York, who was supposed to be Philip’s fiancée, spoke on behalf of the York family. After the Second War of the Roses, she was the daughter of York, who had her engagement with the Counts of Brandenburg annulled and was now widowed. She agreed to the will of the Holy War and led the countless number of knights of the Blue Rose, the pride of the York family.
The Imperial Family, the Red Tower, and other great lords of the Empire… … Lancaster, York, and other great lords of the Continent, as well as their representatives, were gathered there.
This was no longer just an alliance.
What those gathered here wanted to do was a holy war, and to uproot the high-ranking demons and other demons within the Demon King’s territory.
Beyond the Demon King’s territory, I know nothing about the depths of the ancient darkness that exists in the Demon World.
“The time has finally come.”
The first great alliance of the Demons… … right there, where the great forces of the Empire, incomparable to those of the First Crusade, were gathered.
The war that the goddess had hoped for had finally begun.
