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"Withdrawal...? What do you mean by that?!"
"Well? What do you think?"
Everyone was perplexed by the words that came from Aldias's mouth. He had likely given orders to his forces through some method, but the content was completely incomprehensible. The battle had been completely to the Empire's disadvantage. Although he denied it verbally, judging the current situation correctly, he had to admit, however reluctantly, that if they continued to be pushed back, the Imperial Capital would certainly have fallen. Now, with victory seemingly within reach, the entire army was withdrawing. Even if the invasion stopped, the power differential wouldn't be overturned, but they could regroup.
That's why it was incomprehensible. Aldias had swiftly surrounded the Empire, single-handedly infiltrated the Imperial Castle, and demonstrated overwhelming power. The man's thoughts were unfathomable. And because they were unfathomable, he was terrifying.
(He said he's advancing to the second phase of the operation. So, withdrawing was decided from the beginning? Why would he do such a thing? Is it even possible this is a bluff...? But what would be the benefit? Damn it! No, I don't have enough information.)
"...Gahard, I don't ask you to trust my words, but I will tell you this much."
"...What?"
"For me, the lives of the people of Garland are paramount. To protect them, I don't care how ruthless others perceive me to be... And next, what I prioritize is the peace of the world."
"The peace of the world, you say?"
"Yes, the value of life in this world is far too low. People easily take up arms and routinely kill each other. I cannot tolerate that poison fang turning towards my people... That's why I will bring peace to this Tortus. I will not merely continue to protect the demon race from harm, but make it known that even drawing a sword is foolish."
"And that will lead to the peace of this world? For the demon race, perhaps it will be peace, but for humans, won't it just be a world ruled by terror? Even if it's good at first, accumulated dissatisfaction will eventually manifest as war again."
"I told you, I have no intention of needlessly taking lives. There will be those who resist my rule, but if the outcome is better than before, those who accept it will naturally emerge. As long years pass, generations will change, and many will not know war. That is how the world changes."
"..."
Listening to Aldias's words, Gahard frowned and fell silent. The man's words certainly had a point. After all, the hatred that had accumulated over thousands of years was not easily removed. It would take decades, perhaps even a century, for the rift to completely disappear. If, during that time, a peaceful world without war, even in form, could be achieved, rather than one dominated by fear, then some humans would likely accept that world. It's not difficult to imagine that once they've enjoyed a peaceful world without war, those who would try to start conflict again would be infinitesimally few. But...
"I understand your logic. But there are gods in this world. Our human god, Ehit, and your demon god, Alv. It's impossible to rule this world by disregarding those gods."
Gahard didn't know how deeply the demon race worshipped their gods, but humans—especially those of the Holy Church—were a gathering of outright fanatics. Even if the capital were to fall, if Ehit was still alive, they wouldn't stop resisting.
"Or perhaps? Are you saying you intend to kill even Ehit?"
"You're on the right track, but... a little off."
"Huh?"
Gahard had meant it as a joke, but he received such an unexpected reply that he froze, his mouth agape.
"Aldias-sama, all forces have completed their withdrawal."
At that moment, a message came from Freed that the withdrawal was complete. With that, the preparations were finished.
"What does that mean—"
"My apologies, but time's up. We can continue this after you declare your surrender."
"I told you, I won't. Even if the Imperial Capital falls, not everything will collapse. Even if we're gone, those who remain will continue to fight to the end."
"No, you will. Especially if you truly claim to be the Emperor of this country."
Gahard frowned at Aldias's tone, but the change came quickly.
" " " Kh!? " " "
A magic circle appeared at Aldias's feet. The glowing, rotating magic circle gradually increased in size. It spread to the feet of everyone in the throne room... and then, still expanding, it burst out of the room.
"What are you doing?!"
"You'll see soon enough."
"What in the world—Kh!?"
ZUGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGH!!
The moment Gahard tried to press further, a massive impact, as if shaking the Imperial Castle, struck them. The force of the impact caused the decorations in the room to clatter and fall, and every single window pane shattered. Not only that, but the entire castle began to groan, and small, but significant, cracks ran across the floor, walls, and ceiling. Those present could barely stand, squatting or leaning against walls to somehow endure it. How much time had passed? It felt as if every second was several minutes, until finally, the shaking subsided. The Imperial soldiers, who had been crouched low, cautiously stood up and looked around, but saw no particular changes except that the room was more chaotic than before. The only difference, if any, was the magic circle that continued to spin...
"...What is this? What did you do?"
"What do you think?"
"Don't be ri—"
"Y-Your Majesty!!"
Gahard, about to press Aldias further for his evasiveness, was called by a subordinate's name and turned his gaze that way. There, leaning against a wall near a broken window, stood a single soldier. His face was pale as if lifeless, and his body trembled faintly.
"...What's wrong?"
"L-Look outside... Please look outside..."
"Outside?"
"I... I can't believe what I just saw with my own eyes. I wish someone would tell me it's all an illusion... Ugh..."
After saying only that, the subordinate clutched his head and crouched down. Gahard felt a premonition of dread, but still peered outside from the door leading to the terrace. The Imperial Castle, a symbol of the Empire, was the largest structure in the Imperial Capital. Even without going out onto the terrace, it boasted a height from which the cityscape of the Imperial Capital could be fully viewed.
"Kh!?"
"Your Majesty!?"
Gahard, who had been imagining the usual, unchanging scenery, kicked open the door the moment it came into view and burst onto the terrace. His subordinates hastily followed him. And then, they witnessed it.
"That's, ridiculous..."
"Impossible..."
"How can this be..."
The subordinates who followed Gahard saw the same sight as he did, and stood dumbfounded.
"Do you understand now?"
Aldias addressed them, ignoring the speechless Gahard and his men.
"This is 'power'."
◇ ◇ ◇
—A few minutes ago, near the East Gate of the Imperial Capital.
"Hey, are reinforcements here yet?!"
"We've sent requests multiple times! But there's no response whatsoever! And I heard something like battle sounds from the Imperial Capital too!!"
"D-Don't tell me, has some defensive line already been broken!?"
"How should I know!? We don't have time to worry about other places!"
Around the East Gate, fierce fighting with the demon race continued. Against the Imperial soldiers who fought primarily with swords and bows, the demon race did not recklessly close the distance, but steadily chipped away at their forces with magic. Normally, casting magic required a considerable amount of chanting, but the demon race perfectly grasped each other's chanting times and activation timings. A constant barrage of magic assailed the Imperial soldiers; even when they tried to counterattack, their swords couldn't reach, and arrows burned out in mid-air. Until now, they had utilized their numerical advantage to break through the barrage, but with their forces dispersed across the Empire, they were barely able to maintain their defensive line and prevent a breakthrough. And then—
"Kh!?—Everyone, take cover!!"
" " " Kh!? " " "
While dealing with the incessant rain of magic, cursing under their breath, a soldier's voice echoed across the battlefield. The moment they recognized that voice, each of them scrambled to take cover behind the castle gate's outer wall or barricades with all their might. The next moment, fireballs carrying enough heat to instantly incinerate a human assailed them.
"Gyaaaahhh!?"
"Damn it!!"
Those who couldn't take cover in time were swallowed by the tsunami of flames. What was most troublesome was the high-level magic interspersed between attacks, like the one just now. Even when it was difficult to even get close, high-level magic, cast from the rear, held enough destructive power to wipe out an entire Imperial squad.
"Damn it! At this rate, we're just going to be slowly worn down!?"
"What can we do about it!?"
"So, you're saying we should just be ignobly killed!?"
"Don't yell at me!!"
"Stop it at a time like this!!"
Completely on the defensive, with no means of retaliation, one soldier grabbed a comrade beside him. With their hands full just maintaining the defensive line and casualties mounting, the Imperial soldiers were losing their composure, and even the captain's voice, trying to rally the squad, was becoming lost.
"...Huh?"
Ignoring them, one of the men who had been cautiously peeking out from behind the outer wall to observe the enemy raised a bewildered voice. The man, who had only been peeking his head out, slowly leaned further out, standing dumbfounded.
"Hey, what are you doing!? It's dangerous! They'll attack again any second now—"
"They're retreating."
"...Huh?"
"They're retreating, the demons are!!"
At the man's words, everyone present widened their eyes and looked in that direction to confirm it for themselves, as if it couldn't be true. Then, they saw the demon forces, cautious but indeed beginning to fall back.
"W-What does this mean?"
"Ah, yes. Why at this timing..."
The Imperial soldiers were confused, unable to read the enemy's intentions for retreating in such an clearly advantageous situation. With the breathing room created by the enemy's withdrawal, they reformed their ranks and regrouped their battle lines in preparation for another invasion, but there was no sign of an attack. While the standoff continued at a distance, it suddenly happened.
ZUGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGH!!
"W-What was that!?"
Suddenly, a massive tremor struck them, so strong they couldn't stand. Parts of the outer wall collapsed from the impact, and numerous cracks appeared in the ground. However, after a few tens of seconds, the shaking subsided, and silence filled the area as if nothing had happened.
"A-An earthquake?"
"An ominous sign at a time like this..."
"..."
"?—Hey, what's wrong? Why that dumbstruck look?"
While some soldiers, after a brief panic from the sudden tremor, let out a sigh of relief as it subsided, several others were seen standing dumbfounded, looking towards the Imperial Capital.
"Am I dreaming right now...?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Look..."
The man trembled, slowly pointing towards the direction of the Imperial Capital. The man who turned to look with a puzzled expression then registered utter shock on his face. Before the impossible sight in their eyes, some collapsed, others dropped their swords. But as if mocking them, it looked down upon them from high above. Amidst everyone's astonishment, one soldier muttered.
"The castle... is floating...?"
◇ ◇ ◇
"Did you lift it up, this Imperial Castle, along with the very ground!?"
The Imperial Castle, the pride of the Imperial Capital, was floating high in the sky, along with the very earth it stood on. Even at this moment, it continued to ascend, then slowly began to move horizontally. Its direction was towards the center of the Imperial Capital.
"Yes, isn't that proof of power beyond all doubt? And you, behind me. It would be best not to do anything foolish."
At Aldias's words, the shoulder of a soldier who had been stealthily approaching him from behind flinched.
"Someone of your caliber cannot possibly wound me... but this castle is floating right now because I am here. If, by any chance, my power were to cease, it would plunge straight down. You're not so foolish as to not understand what would happen if such a mass were to fall to the surface, are you?"
"Kh!?"
The soldier who had his hand on his sword instantly blanched. He must have understood the true meaning of Aldias's words. That the lives of all humans residing in the Empire were literally in the Demon Lord's palm...
"Gahard, you said it. That the soldiers of this country would resist until the very end... That they would continue to fight even if you were gone... Can you still say the same now?"
"Kh!—That is..."
"All the people of the Empire must be seeing this sight. Do you think they will still show the will to fight, having lost their royalty who rule the Empire and their close retainers, with their country even collapsing?"
"Kuh!?"
Gahard gritted his teeth, able to do nothing but glare intensely at Aldias. That attitude spoke volumes more than any reply.
"I will give you one more choice. Surrender... or I will drop the Imperial Castle. Choose whichever you prefer."
The demands remained unchanged. Yet, unlike before, Gahard could not make an immediate decision. If he refused the demand and the castle were dropped onto the Imperial Capital, the damage would be unimaginable. The earth would split, the city would crumble, and people would perish. It would undoubtedly be a catastrophe that could no longer be described with gentle words like "reconstruction." The people would witness their own country transform into hell in an instant. If this were something comprehensible to humans, they might be able to rally from it. However, humanity, having touched a fragment of power beyond human comprehension, stopped trying to understand and chose to worship it, to ensure that the threat would not turn upon them... by naming the object of their terror "God." Resistance was impossible.
"Guh guh guh... Ahh!! Damn it!!"
Gahard had been groaning for a while as if in conflict, but then he frantically ran his hands through his hair, as if to show his irritation.
"Alright, I get it! I lose, damn you! I surrender! So stop dropping the castle!!"
"A wise decision. Now the name of the Empire will not vanish from history."
After saying just that, the Imperial Castle slowly began to descend. Gahard could only manage a dry laugh at Aldias, who, despite moving such a massive object, didn't even break a sweat.
"Sorry, everyone. There's nothing we can do this time... The Empire values strength above all else. This is such a crushing defeat that no one can complain, damn it. Raise the white flag. Don't let any more needless deaths occur."
"Kh!—As you command..."
One of the subordinates who received the order gritted his teeth in frustration, but as he seemed to have no objection to Gahard's decision, he immediately rushed inside the room.
"Tch... Who in their right mind would think of floating a castle just to make them surrender? And anyway, you couldn't do it. Are you really human? You're not secretly saying you're Alv, are you?"
Given such incomprehensible power, Gahard was honestly confident he wouldn't be surprised if Aldias's true identity was "god" rather than "human."
"...Don't put me in the same category as that."
"Huh?"
Gahard had muttered offhandedly while watching his subordinate walk away, but seeing Aldias's clearly displeased face, he had a question mark appear in his mind.
"What, you don't believe in gods either? Oh yeah, when I asked if you'd kill Ehit, you said something about being 'a little off'... What did that mean?"
"It means exactly that. The part about killing a god was correct, but Ehit has already been killed. And Alv, for that matter."
"...Huh?"
To be honest, Gahard had been easily prepared for no more surprises from Aldias, who had so effortlessly performed such extraordinary feats in such a short time, but his body froze like stone at the casually spoken revelation. What did he just say? If he hadn't misheard, it sounded like he said he killed a god...? Not just Gahard, but everyone present was rigid with shock, as Aldias's shocking declaration continued.
"Originally, that would have been the end of it... but it seems Ehit is not a god originating from this world; there is a true god who elevated Ehit to godhood. As long as that being's power is unknown, having as many forces as possible is always better. For that purpose, lend me your strength, Gahard."
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?"
Gahard's scream echoed through the sky over the Imperial Capital.