Chapter 264 – Chapter 25 – The Curtain Rises
A great forest that extends to the north of the kingdom, the empire, and even part of the territories of the fairies.
The forest was so dense that humans thought it was a natural barrier, so they built a few forts only at the end of the forest.
At least there are fairy rangers who are friendly with the forest, but the reality is that there are not many of them.
However, just a few days ago, a number of Rangers were reinforced.
And along with the reinforcements came some very unpleasant news.
“Listen, everyone. As of today, the war with the demons has resumed.”
The demons, who first admitted defeat and came up with an armistice, started another war.
Upon hearing the news, most of the fairies showed their disgust towards the demons.
“I knew that too.”
“Recently, it has taken on an overly peaceful atmosphere, so it seems to be a trap?”
“They said they lost strength due to the civil war, so it seems that they needed several months to repair it.”
“Evil things. Pretending to extend a hand of peace with such thoughts?”
Opinions that the thing to come has come, and that the wicked knew how to do it, were the main opinions.
Neither humans nor beastmen take pleasure in the race of demons.
However, most of that perception has not been strengthened by the continental war.
Fairies have always had a reputation for hating everything in the East.
I don’t know the reason, the origin, or anything.
It was just that fairies and demons looked more alike than I thought, and there was only an argument that there was some kind of homophobia in the part where the eye color and hair color went opposite.
“Even the demons wouldn’t come here if they had thoughts. However, since we need to prepare for an emergency, we will double the number of scouts from now on. In addition, if you spot anything suspicious, report it immediately. It’s forbidden to try to do anything between you guys. Even if we take preemptive measures, we will definitely send the person who needs to report.”
The members nodded at the order of the fairy ranger commander.
The demons would come to this place where entering without being really crazy would be suicide.
Still, it was only natural to thoroughly prepare for the eventuality.
They didn’t get along very well, but when the rangers on the fairy side started to enter the forest, the humans who were in charge of defending the fortress at the border of the forest wished them luck.
They realized how important mutual cooperation is in the continental war.
As they had been swept away by demons several times after bickering over useless pride, they decided to give each other a step at the news of the outbreak of war.
“Since the forest is so large, the temporary assembly point is set up near the forest border. At intervals of three days, each team encounters and informs them of the range they have scouted, and checks for any gaps. It doesn’t matter if it’s a day late, but if there is no news for more than two days, it’s considered something happened. If you don’t intend to cause trouble for your colleagues, move quickly.”
They didn’t care about anything, rather, they prepared more thoroughly than during the First Continental War.
If the enemy really did infiltrate a small guerrilla force into these forests.
They will definitely come in within the shortest time and try to overwhelm the rear and supply lines.
The best way is to catch them when they enter the forest and move, and then destroy them.
If that’s difficult, you should at least find a trace and inform the rear that the enemies have invaded.
The First Continental War left deep scars on the human side as well as fairies.
It was a terrible war that almost a generation was wiped out, and their lofty attitude and heart were shattered.
The lesson I learned from doing so was that there was no nobility or pride in the face of war.
You have to win unconditionally, and in order to win, you have to know how to bend sometimes.
If you fight alone, you will only get hurt and die alone.
Knowing that, he left the human side alone as he does now, and sent all the Rangers into the forest.
If it was the same as before, he would have put half of the rangers on standby, saying he wouldn’t trust humans.
“Remember. Our battlefield is here. We’re blocking this place until the war is over. Throw away the thought of doing it right away. Even though they are demons, you should never underestimate them.”
“I know. Even if you don’t, you’re anxious, but isn’t that person there too?”
Although I don’t want to overestimate the human race.
He said that the person who gave it such a high rating is currently in the east with demon soldiers.
Its location is not known exactly, but of course he headed to the South, which he knew best, so almost all Western Unionists thought.
Klaus said that the South was already in trouble at the news of that man’s arrival.
The man who protected them is now attacking in reverse, but the situation in the southern part of the human kingdom is that he does not have the confidence to win against that man, nor does he have any desire to fight.
I couldn’t help but feel anxious, but humans aren’t so stupid, so how will I deal with it?
More than anything else, the fairies thought that a catastrophe like the last time would not happen if the beastmen and themselves quickly dispatched reinforcements.
Three days passed like that, and it was the time when each team exchanged information with each other and information flew to the command.
“It is said that no abnormal signs were found.”
“It is the same here. There is no sign of anything passing through, and the forest is so dense that even our allies are having a hard time moving.”
“It is said that the first skirmish occurred on the frontlines of the Kingdom. It wasn’t a large-scale rotation, but it was a moderate level of battle, but as expected, the human side was defeated.”
“Also… I’m going to pour all my strength into the Kingdom.”
“Due to the civil war, the troops are also troops, but they are the ones who have suffered a lot in military supplies. Of course, wouldn’t you want to organize the kingdom first and spend the food and resources there?”
At the words of the adjutant, the commander leading the rangers nodded his head.
The continent is not the front yard of any neighborhood, and it is impossible to smuggle it all at once.
You must establish an intermediate base and either receive supplies or replenish your troops there.
In that sense, the kingdom was the most palatable intermediate base from the eastern standpoint.
“They just slickly said that they were ready, and in the end they lost again.”
“What can I do? It is human nature to make mistakes again.”
“Let’s not even start making mistakes like that. Even if there is nothing wrong, never let your guard down and tell them to be more careful. Got it?”
At the commander’s command, the adjutant nodded and said he would.
Another three days passed like that, and still no other news came.
After three days and three more, reports arrived that a team was arriving later than the original return time.
The forest is huge and the range to be scouted is wide, so I thought it would be possible.
However, when the news did not come after a day or two, the fairy rangers immediately judged that the enemy had entered and prepared themselves.
Afterwards, the rangers who went out to find them ran into members of the team who had lost contact shortly after.
Their explanation was that it was a little late because there was an injured person in the middle of meeting a monster and dealing with it on the way back.
A little steam leaked out, but everyone was relieved because it was not an enemy invasion.
More than that, monsters had never attacked so openly, so I wondered why.
Even after that, the return of the team members was delayed, so looking at the emergency standby, the common thing was that time was delayed due to fighting monsters.
Originally, it was normal for monsters to avoid armed fairies.
Even so, the words that they strangely ran towards them made me a little uneasy.
However, since it is the nature of monsters to drive them out at any cost if they think they have entered their territory, I couldn’t think of it as strange.
“Rather than that, the number of injured soldiers is little by little, but it seems to be bothering me that they are increasing.”
“It’s a problem because the monsters attack so fiercely. Since I only wear simple armor for mobility, minor injuries are inevitable.”
Everyone knows that monsters live in the Great Forest.
However, since they weren’t that ferocious, I thought there wouldn’t be a big fight.
Unexpectedly, many battles broke out, and the wounded were on the rise.
In the end, it was decided to call them together and send them to the human stronghold located at the border of the forest.
Treatment is also available here, but the environment is not so good.
It is better to recover quickly and return to fill the vacancy, so it was better to retreat to the rear for a while rather than lead a sick body into reconnaissance.
“Injured people, recover as quickly as possible. That helps.”
At the Ranger commander’s words, the injured and the fairies escorting them nodded.
So they moved and time passed again.
“… Something is strange.”
“Apart from the wounded, the escort is not returning.”
“Immediately send a team to go back to the human side. Figure out what’s going on.”
“But that would leave one spot in the scouting team vacant.”
“I can’t help it. That part is taken over by our command. We can’t just sit in the back all the time. In times like this, you have to lead by example.”
In the commander’s opinion, the adjutant’s face was unwilling.
It was not because he hated suffering, but because, in the current situation, if something happened to the commander’s safety, the confusion that would arise from it could be too great.
It is said that a commander who leads by example is good, but that is something I wish he would do in normal times.
In a wartime like now, it was best to stand behind, give proper orders, and watch out for allies.
“I will prepare.”
However, the commander’s will was so firm that the adjutants and guards decided to follow his will.
That’s how the commanding staff took the place of one team sent to the human side.
At first, nothing happened, but at the last minute, he encountered a monster and soon entered into a fight.
As a result, there were no deaths or serious injuries, but some people suffered minor injuries.
After returning to the temporary rendezvous point, thinking that it was fortunate that no big deal had happened anyway.
It was the moment when the commander and his adjutant had just entered the small command barracks.
“Now you are here. It looks like you suffered more than you thought?”
“… ?”
The moment the two fairies hurriedly gripped the swords at the sudden voice.
A huge shock was transmitted to the back plate, and he collapsed to the floor as it was.
“Keep it!”
“ぅ!”
“Shh. Quietly.”
One woman putting her index finger to her lips as she brought her face right next to them.
Her silvery, sparkling hair and purple eyes were also strange, but what bothered me the most was the maid outfit she was wearing.
“It won’t do you any good to make a fuss, folks.”
“Kkeuk!”
The maid, Planche, holding down the back of her neck while subduing the two fairy rangers with the body of a woman.
Her eyes and the corners of her mouth were all smiling, but the flesh emanating from her body seemed to be whispering not to believe such laughter.
In the meantime, Klaus, who had come in front of them, collapsed into his seat with a sneer on him.
Then, he stomped on the heads of the two fairies with his feet.
“I had a lot of trouble keeping the house. You can rest now. That house just got robbed.”
“Uh, what… Queue!”
“Die quietly. Don’t refuse the mercy that His Majesty the Demon King bestows on those who did their best.”
As soon as Klaus finished speaking, Planche snapped their necks.
It was a perfect workmanship without a single hesitation or mistake.
The others were nowhere to be seen, only Klaus and Planche, the two of them.
“I don’t know if I should have finished it by now.”
“It will be over. Because His Majesty the Demon King is also there, and there are only those who Klaus-sama has attached to me.”
As if to prove Planche’s words, black smoke began to rise from the place where there were human forts in the distance, starting one by one.
