Chapter 77
“Hohoho. Splendid.”
The eastern fortress lay half-destroyed.
On the wall facing away from the border,
an old monkey—the Demon King Mahu—stood alone, gazing down at the vast golden plains spreading before him with admiration.
“Even this small stretch of land holds such an abundance of grain.
If I could seize just this region, I could easily double my army.”
Unlike the barren, desolate northern territories, this was rich, fertile soil.
As Mahu looked over the ripening crops ready for harvest,
his thoughts drifted to a secret agreement he’d made with the kingdom’s chancellor several years ago.
“So, Lord Mahu, you mean to move your army to occupy the eastern region of the Empire… and then grant it to us?”
“In exchange, for the next ten years, half of all crops produced there will be mine.
What do you say? Not a bad deal, eh?”
A few swift and cunning monkeys had been sent across the border—
a meeting barely made possible through great risk.
“The terms themselves are… well, more than fair for us, but…”
The chancellor eyed Mahu suspiciously.
To conquer the Empire’s east with his own forces,
only to hand it over in return for half the harvest for ten years—
it sounded far too generous.
Surely, this couldn’t be a deal that benefited the Demon King.
One of the twelve monarchs who ruled over all monsters—
for a being of such status to offer a deal so favorable to humans was absurd.
The proposal seemed designed to make the kingdom suspicious—
perhaps a ploy to justify an invasion under the guise of cooperation.
“You look uneasy. Wondering if I’ve got some other scheme up my sleeve, are you?”
Mahu chuckled as he read the chancellor’s wary eyes.
Suspicion was only natural.
No one in their right mind would willingly take a loss this great.
If anything, the chancellor likely believed Mahu’s true motive was to quietly station his troops near the border for a future attack on the Empire.
“There’s no need to worry.
Even if I wanted to betray you, I’d only end up isolated in the middle.
Besides—perhaps you humans don’t realize this—but the Demon Kings’ armies aren’t exactly friendly with one another.
Though we unite under the banner of conquering the central lands,
we monsters would bare our fangs at each other the moment that war ends.
I merely wish to secure food to expand my forces for that inevitable day.
Surely, you humans understand the wisdom of preparing for the future, even when facing a common enemy.”
The chancellor couldn’t refuse such an offer.
Not out of naivety, but conviction.
Ever since the great war, humanity had been forced into uneasy peace by the existence of the Demon Kings’ army—a shared enemy.
But the kingdom’s centuries-long history of suffering under the Empire’s dominance was something the chancellor knew all too well.
“I understand your point, Lord Mahu.
However, even if we trust you, there remains a problem.”
“That even if I capture the Empire’s east and hand it to you, you wouldn’t be able to hold it?”
“…Yes.”
Hearing that, Mahu smiled inwardly.
At last, the man’s tone had shifted—no longer skeptical, but pragmatic.
He was already halfway convinced.
“Hoho. Then there’s nothing to worry about.”
Of course, Mahu already had a plan for that.
In fact, there was no need for any special countermeasure—
for the entire scheme had been built with the coming great war in mind.
“When that time comes, the Empire will have no leisure to defend its eastern lands.”
“There were reports of remnants gathering in a nearby fortress, weren’t there?”
After recalling those past dealings, Mahu turned his gaze toward the south.
Right after the fall of this fortress,
many of the Empire’s surviving soldiers had fled—
supposedly regrouping in a southern stronghold to prepare a counterattack.
If he crushed them next, everything would be settled.
Half the crops from this fertile land would soon belong to him,
and with that, his army would grow stronger than ever.
“Besides, the kingdom won’t dare commit its full strength to the coming war—
they’ll need their forces intact to defend these lands from the Empire later.”
It was the perfect justification—
not mere greed, but a strategic move in service of a grander cause.
Satisfied with how smoothly things were proceeding,
the old monkey let a pleased smile stretch across his face.
–Krrk!
“Well then, how are things?”
Lost in thought, Mahu was interrupted by a small monkey climbing swiftly up the wall toward him.
Kreek! Kieek!
“I see. Most of the scouts, you say… hmm? Is that true?”
Mahu’s expression stiffened slightly at the report.
From what the scout said, there were not only the goddess’s hounds on the distant mountains—
but also other humans.
“Oh? Is that so?”
A carriage bearing the sigil of the Church, eh?
Perhaps the Empire had sent reinforcements after hearing he’d taken a cardinal hostage.
Either way, it mattered little.
Those humans wouldn’t survive long inside this cursed fortress,
now fully corrupted under his control.
* * *
Late that night—
Tap. Crackle.
After finishing the grim task of clearing some fifty corpses,
Eric and his group quietly began their ascent toward the summit.
At this point, there was no need to hide their position—
the monkeys had already discovered them once.
When they reached the top,
Eric spotted the knights resting around a campfire.
Sitting apart from the others was Sir Virga, staring silently into the flames.
“Sir Virga.”
“Ah—Hero.”
Startled, Virga quickly straightened,
but Eric shook his head gently and sat beside him.
“How are things?”
At that, Virga sighed, looking troubled.
As expected, his unit hadn’t been the only ones attacked by the monkeys.
The 3rd Knight Order, stationed on the mountain to observe the fortress,
had been ambushed out of nowhere.
Luckily, Mahu couldn’t send a large force without drawing attention,
so the casualties were light—
but a few of the monsters had escaped.
“I must apologize.
It’s possible information about your group has reached the Demon King.”
Virga bowed his head, looking uncharacteristically dejected.
Eric thought for a moment before speaking quietly.
“Any casualties?”
“…One of the men who was first attacked is badly injured,
but his life isn’t in danger.
Several have minor wounds, but they’ll recover soon enough to fight.”
Eric nodded.
The order’s strength was intact—that was all that mattered.
Even if Mahu had learned of them,
it was too late to change anything.
And at such a distance, it was doubtful the escaped monkeys had seen enough to identify them clearly.
“You’re aware, I assume, that the remaining Imperial forces are gathering under Duke Criseus in the southern fortress?”
“Yes. The operation is to begin in three days.”
Three days—just enough time for the wounded knights to heal.
“So your order will move in coordination with that, then?”
“Of course. With allies at our side, there’s no reason to refuse.”
Satisfied, Eric stood and brushed the dust from his cloak.
“Lady Malefica.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“Some of the knights are injured. Could you lend them your aid?”
He gestured toward a nearby tent where the wounded were gathered.
“Of course. It’s my duty as a priestess of His Grace.”
With that, Malefica departed,
and Eric, with his companions, accepted a small tent to rest in.
Some monkeys had escaped? So be it.
Nothing changed.
Even if Mahu learned a few more people had joined the knights,
he’d simply assume reinforcements had arrived.
There was no way he’d imagine such a small party planned to infiltrate his fortress and rescue the cardinal.
“Though, knowing that cunning old monkey, he might suspect it…”
Still, speculation was only that—speculation.
No commander, not even Mahu, would waste significant forces guarding a hostage
based on mere guesses.
He would already be stretched thin handling the Shadow Knights and Duke Criseus’s army.
“The plan stands. No changes.”
He had never expected the mission to rescue a cardinal from a Demon King’s fortress to be easy.
It was simply more dangerous than before.
That was all.
And now was no time to throw the plan away.
Nor was there any need to.
Tap, tap.
“Sir Lillian.”
Three days later.
Half a day before the scheduled operation,
Eric awoke early and gazed down at the dark fortress below.
After shaking off his drowsiness, he returned to the tent and roused his companions.
“Mmm…”
“Sir Lillian?”
“Ugh… five more minutes—huh? L-Lord Eric?!”
Awakening to find him standing over her,
Lillian shot upright, startled.
“Everything’s ready. Let’s move out.”
“…Already? But the sun’s not even up yet!”
The sky was still pitch-black,
the hour when even most sentries slept.
Blinking sleepily, Lillian tilted her head in confusion.
“Of course.
We need to infiltrate the fortress unnoticed.
You’d have us march in broad daylight?”
Eric’s calm voice left no room for argument.
He had no intention of rescuing the cardinal yet—
if they were caught, they’d have to fight Mahu’s entire army alone.
The actual rescue would begin after the knights and the duke’s forces began their assault.
For now, their task was simple: slip inside unseen.
Even for them, sneaking in under the bright morning sun would be suicide.
“But my lord,” asked Leona as they descended the mountain,
“how do you plan to get into the fortress at night? The gates are sealed tight.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
Eric simply turned toward Ventus, smiling faintly.
“…Me?”
The hunter who had served in the eastern fortress for over ten years—
he knew the secret ways in.
And he would lead them inside.
