READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 237
It was clear that the Empire’s defenses had been significantly weakened due to Rose’s retreat from the frontline, yet the Demon King couldn’t recklessly launch further offensives. The pains endured by the Demon King’s Army were no less than those faced by the Empire. First and foremost, there was virtually no commander capable of leading the siege lines at Febria Bay in the east.
In haste, the Demon King appointed a giant tribe lord to hold the rank of general, thus maintaining the siege around the eastern front. However, not trusting the giant lord’s command abilities, the Demon King issued a decree of ‘absolute attack ban’ to him. Even the Demon King’s Army, still reeling from the explosion in Manhattan, bore no resentment towards this decision.
Thanks to the gathered information about the situation, Jenis was able to leave the fortress entrusted to Baron Koesernis and head south for a while. However, filled with impatience, wondering when the situation might change, Jenis hoped for a swift resumption of attacks. Meanwhile, the Demon King could not afford to neglect the eastern situation simply because Jenis and Jeongjae were absent. The stalemate on this front seemed unlikely to be resolved easily.
On another front, additional headaches began to emerge, throbbing in the Demon King’s mind. Some small tribes, presuming that the death of the Gargoyle Queen had weakened the Demon King’s political authority, attempted to declare withdrawal from the Great War and make independent movements.
The Demon King reacted violently to such movements. If a few Orc tribes were allowed to exercise autonomy and negotiate with the Demon King, it could start a collapse in all areas beyond the Demon King’s direct administration.
Furthermore, this also posed a problem that could lead to the complete independence of the Dragon Lord’s forces, which were already operating like separate warlords, and a potential rebellion of the enslaved northern humans. The Demon King immediately instructed the Succubus Queen to resolve these urgent issues. The Succubus Queen efficiently executed the Demon King’s orders with her excellent abilities.
After the explosion in Manhattan, the Succubus Queen had uncovered about fifteen hostile plots against the Demon King over the course of a month. Most of these were schemes devised by Orcs and Goblins trying to lead their tribes out of the war, but a couple of them directly aimed at overthrowing the Demon King. Showing his paranoid side, the Demon King trembled in anger.
“These bastards have forgotten who granted them this vast territory and are now turning their blades against their master. I wonder, is this the work of the Dragon Lord? Have you investigated the behind-the-scenes?”
The Demon King secretly queried the Succubus Queen, who nodded in response.
“I have my suspicions, but there is no evidence that the Gold Dragon is involved in these plots. It seems the Dragon Lord is currently keeping a low profile.”
“What reassures me is the fact that no one among our Succubus clan has plotted against me. The only trustworthy kin I have are indeed my blood relatives. Actually, some vampires also got involved in the conspiracy, so I can’t blindly trust my own kind just because we share the same blood.”
In fact, one plot was uncovered when a vampire contacted a common Succubus, suggesting joining forces. That vampire likely didn’t realize the Succubus were wholly devoted to Violet Moriarty at the tribal level. The Succubus Queen asserted her loyalty to the Demon King emphatically.
“If I am the only one you can rely on, Your Majesty, I will sacrifice my life to protect you, just as I did when you took power.”
“Your words are pleasant, but do not speak of death. How could I bear to lose more loyal servants? Damn it, Eramenia hasn’t yet recovered from shock, and the Empire is currently engulfed in a chaos deeper than ever. To stir internal discontent at a time when we could easily conquer the entire continent by coming together—are these people fools or just devoid of thought?!”
“The only one in this country who is capable of thinking is Your Majesty. No matter how many morons there are causing trouble, how could they possibly defeat you?”
“That is indeed a sad state of affairs.”
The Demon King’s army lacked competent advisors. The one fulfilling the role of chief advisor was the Dragon Lord, who merely donned the title in a bid to keep the Demon King’s army bound within a single system but could hardly be considered a true advisor to the Demon King.
Regardless, the uprising members of the villages were summarily executed, and the towns burned down as a harsh measure, causing the rebellion against the Demon King to quickly fade. Violet found herself at last able to glance out at the world beyond after a long absence.
“What’s the situation in the Empire? Any news?”
“The ironclad has completely retreated from the frontlines. Recently, she has put away her armor and sword to focus solely on internal governance.”
“What are the new Emperor’s political moves? Is there any conflict with the Assembly?”
“On the contrary, it appears she is intervening very little with the Imperial Assembly. According to the rumors I’ve gathered, the Emperor has instructed even the royal faction members to act according to their own thoughts, leaving some nobles quite baffled.”
“How could vermin who’ve spent their lives following orders and worrying about others’ thoughts make political decisions on their own? It seems the new Emperor is indeed cleansing her inner circle. In my judgment, those nobles who have proven useless without the Emperor will certainly not receive fixed nomination seats starting next year.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought she would prefer having many puppets in the Empire.”
“Power grows larger the more you divide it.”
The Demon King sighed.
“What do you think is the reason behind the ongoing internal threat to my rule? It is precisely because I cannot, or rather do not wish to divide power. If a country is filled with capable bureaucrats, governing through various agencies rather than just one ruler strengthens that ruler’s power. That is how the nation’s authority grows stronger, and as the state’s authority grows stronger, so too does the ruler’s prestige. The new Emperor isn’t foolish enough to overlook that.”
“I can only feel sorry for not being a satisfactory advisor to you, Your Majesty.”
“No, the capabilities of the Chancellor are not lacking. If I had five more talents like you, the Empire would have fallen long ago.”
The Demon King spoke sincerely. In truth, the extreme one-man dictatorship within the Demon King’s army was never the Demon King’s intention. What the Demon King envied most about the Empire was the existence of the organization known as the ‘Royal Family.’ The Empire had a ‘House’ filled with capable members and its collateral members, forming the basis of their uniquely elite ruling system.
In contrast, the Demon King, who ascended the throne after cutting off her father’s neck, lacked such a background of a ‘House.’ Although she had serious thoughts about marriage and producing heirs, among the mixed breeds of the demon race, there were no satisfactory candidates for a husband.
She had been so deeply concerned about forming a ruling house at one time that she even contemplated tying the conflict with the Dragon Lord into a marriage alliance. However, resentment from the Succubus tribe due to their hostility towards dragons and fears of losing the initiative to the dragons quickly made this consideration a fleeting idea. In any case, the governance system of the Demon King’s army, focused on one figure, Violet Moriarty, was exceedingly unstable.
“Have you heard anything regarding the Holy Sword’s whereabouts?”
“That… is the most important issue.”
“Speak. Is there truly someone claiming to be the new Hero?”
“Yes.”
The Demon King raised an eyebrow at the Succubus Queen’s report. One of the situations the Demon King dreaded most was the emergence of a new Hero who could swiftly organize the current chaos and gain the strength to confront the Demon King. If the Emperor could stabilize the Empire faster than the Demon King could consolidate her internal matters, the Demon King would have to prepare mentally for being pushed back by an even more powerful northern expedition force.
“Who is it? Is Harker, the blood inheritor of Van Helsing, proclaiming himself as the Hero?”
“The Grand Mage, Baron Harriet. He reportedly submitted a position statement to both the Imperial Assembly and the Royal Family self-identified as the Hero. The Imperial Assembly has yet to hold a meeting to decide whether to accept his stance, but… the Emperor has stamped the seal on his declaration, officially recognizing him as the Hero. It seems that it’s only a matter of time before the Assembly acknowledges Park Jeongjae as the new Hero.”
“Park Jeongjae? Park Jeongjae, you say?”
The Demon King presented a face of disbelief, only to soon nod in understanding.
“The Sacred Power comes from the strength of the gate connecting this world and the other. It’s only natural that those from Earth possess a certain aptitude for Sacred Power. With that in mind, it would be reasonable for him to wield the Holy Sword. Why didn’t I think of this until now?”
“But if that’s the case, why until now…?”
“The power of the Unicorn is not so easily wielded. Only those with a prepared heart can even touch that force. This is alarming news. Up until now, the Grand Mage never fancied himself worthy to be called a Hero, but now he is gaining confidence in thinking he is the one destined to save the Empire. This is a more thunderous awakening than a sleeping dragon stirring, and a more ominous step than a millennia-old vampire emerging from its coffin. It is only fitting that we must remain vigilant about this development. ‘Over the mountains, another mountain’ indeed encapsulates this phenomenon.”
The Demon King’s face was marred by genuine concern. The Succubus Queen similarly displayed a troubled expression and lowered her head.
While the Demon King was more of a pessimist than an optimist, she never expressed baseless fears or bleak expectations. Whenever she became hysterical with worry and dread, there was always a valid reason.
Nevertheless, currently, neither of the two opposing forces on the continent had laid the groundwork for a preemptive offensive.
The frontlines were eerily calm despite the tension that felt poised to explode at any moment. The frontline commanders of both sides, ignorant of the political situation, itched to rush forward and strike the enemy, yet no commands for attacks were issued from either nation’s rear areas, as if a truce negotiation were taking place.
However, the thoughts of both nations were far from a truce. The leadership of both nations recognized one critical fact: the side that broke this suspended lull and launched the offensive would control the flow of war for at least the coming months. For several months during which blades had not crossed at the battlefield, the demon race and humanity were engaged in a fierce yet quiet war of their own, striving to prepare their offensive capabilities.