Amon stood by the window all night, not closing his eyes. The sorcerer was contemplating the upcoming expedition into the lands of the monsters. He clearly understood the dangers of the venture he had planned.
"Stepping onto uncharted territory with only one fighter at the ready," Amon thought to himself, listening to the mercenary's snoring, "A rather reckless move, but there are no other options anyway. Relying on Camilla is pointless, she's too weak. I'm no use either. I'll have to rely on Alexandra. And damn Tzinc for signing that contract! Though, who knows how Fallen Goddess would have behaved if we'd refused or bargained?"
He imagined an eternity with the Goddess and, strangely enough, the thought didn't repulse him. Despite all her flaws, Fallen Goddess possessed powerful magic, a vast arsenal of knowledge, and secrets that took one's breath away.
Moreover, though Amon didn't want to admit it, the Goddess had a peculiar charm that compensated for her negative traits. Her inconsistency, temper, and capriciousness seemed more amusing than contemptible.
"Such power and such a character," Amon chuckled a bit, "A volatile mix! No wonder the world is so insane. But let's not get distracted. Back to the mamono. If the monsters aren't planning to take El-Farrah, I think I can convince them.
However, most likely persuasion won't be necessary. I'm almost sure—mamono are planning to attack the city. Otherwise, why would they be scouting from within instead of just observing from the outside? Alright, moving on.
El-Farrah looks like a tough nut to crack. Solid walls, patrols, well-armed soldiers, and a respected commander, which means respected by his own troops. Based on the number of residents and the size of the barracks I've seen, there should be at least fifteen hundred warriors here. How many militiamen?
That depends on the amount of weaponry in the local arsenals. Unfortunately, I can't gauge that by sight alone. In any case, to capture such a stronghold, serious forces are required. The purple snake has a powerful army if it dares open its jaws to such a large piece! A well-trained army, I might add.
After all, sieging and storming a fortress are some of the most difficult things in military tactics. But that's no surprise: monsters are forced to attack, which means they know strategy and tactics very well. Plus, mamono are stronger and faster than regular humans. They have chitin, toxins, lightning-fast reflexes on their side. They don't kill humans, but so what?
Humans can be used for copulation even with broken arms and legs. In fact, it's even safer—won't escape while demonic energy drains the will from them."
Amon crossed his arms over his chest.
"Next question. What can I offer mamono to get accepted into their army?"
"I'll offer myself to the monsters as a military advisor," Amon decided. "The key is not to mess up. Among the mamono, there might be serious commanders. The monster leaders know the intricacies of employing their troops, and I don't. I'll have to learn quickly if I don't want to end up as someone's husband. Still, I'm confident I'll manage!"
Amon smirked. He already pictured himself leading the mamono. How the monsters would launch an assault, organized like an orchestra under the guidance of an experienced conductor. How terror would sweep through the streets. How, because of the principle of just one citizen, all of El-Farrah would fall.
The sorcerer turned his gaze away from the sleeping city and looked at the mercenary. Due to the bundle tied to her back, Alexandra was lying in an extremely uncomfortable position. The bundle pressed into the crumpled blanket, causing her to arch her back. But despite this, she slept soundly.
"Let's hope you won't need that special sword for the monsters," Amon whispered. "And everything goes as planned."