Chapter 294
Chapter 294. The Tremor of the Demon Lord Castle
—
On that day, Demon Lord Goldgias was busy as usual with administrative duties.
While there were war situation reports from the frontlines, most of it was about mediating disputes between tribes. Such as livestock being stolen, tribes colluding with officials to embezzle, or bloodshed stemming from disputes between tribes—there was no end to it.
The Demon Lord, who prioritized (demonic) fairness, adhered to precedent when it came to judgments. He referred to rulings from the era of the first Demon Lord, and if similar cases existed, he would handle them accordingly. If there were no precedents, he would think hard and deliver a fair judgment anew.
“Perhaps it’s time for a break…”
As he felt fed up with the unending line of petitioners, he was about to call for tea when—
“What’s going on…?!”
A high-pitched scream echoed from outside the office. Instantly, the door was knocked on vigorously with cries of “Messenger! Messenger!”
“Come in.”
The Demon Lord tightened his face and beckoned for entry. It was a messenger from the Izanis Tribe, who were always on standby before the office. Urgent notifications were delivered via their {Voice Spell}.
“I have a report…!”
The messenger who entered was pale as a sheet, on the verge of fainting, but somehow he was mustering all his willpower to remain upright. What could it be? Although his expression didn’t show it, the Demon Lord’s tension rose sharply.
“—It seems that His Highness Emelgias and His Highness Zilbagias have engaged in armed conflict!”
…What? A brotherly spat? That could not stand.
The fact that this was conveyed by the messenger means–
We’re dealing with a situation that is no laughing matter.
“I will go stop them, where is it?”
As the Demon Lord stood, the messenger, with sweat dripping from his forehead, continued.
“—At the Aurora Fortress, however… His Highness Emelgias has been slain! Six warriors of the Izanis Tribe and four from the Dragon Tribe have also died…!”
“Wha…?”
He froze as if struck by lightning and simply sank back into his seat.
“…What of Zilbagias?!”
“Just now, it seems he returned to the castle riding a dragon… without injuries, it appears…!”
Squeezing out the words, the obedient messenger from the Izanis Tribe reported.
No way. Why? I understood that the relationship between Zilbagias and Emelgias had soured. However, I never imagined it would escalate to killing each other just in a day!
The Demon Lord, in shock, was set to be further stunned by the continued report.
“Moreover, the High Elves under His Highness Zilbagias’s command have been caught up in the fighting and are currently missing!”
“……Sound the alarm!”
Kicking over his chair, the Demon Lord stood again.
“Call in the royal guard, deploy the rapid response unit around the Auroral Fortress, and initiate a search for the High Elves. Issue the same patrol flights to the Dragon Tribe. The castle defense team must protect the city. Report as soon as any High Elves are captured. If possible, it’s fine to eliminate them, but if needed, I’ll make an appearance myself.”
“Understood! Summoning the royal guard, deploying the rapid response unit around the Auroral Fortress—”
After waiting for the repeating messenger to send the commands with the {Voice Spell}, he continued.
“Make sure to notify the surrounding cities and the frontlines; they must search and remain vigilant. Especially at the frontlines, tighten the watch to prevent overseas escape! And—”
While maintaining a stern expression, the Demon Lord clenched his fist tightly.
“—Call Zilbagias. I want to hear the details…!”
†††
“…It’s noisy.”
The first prince Aiogias, busy writing in his chambers, noticed that his residence was suffused with a flurry of activity.
Without needing to ring the bell for his servant, footsteps came rushing in.
“Your Highness! It’s terrible! His Highness Emelgias—”
A subordinate came tumbling into the room without knocking.
“Calm down, don’t be so uncouth.”
Chiding the subordinate, Aiogias sighed.
“What has that fool gotten himself into this time?”
Picturing the face of his troublesome younger brother, he asked. Ever since he had pulled a childish prank on the youngest brother, he hadn’t shown up at meetings due to alleged poor health.
If he was causing problems at such a time, Aiogias thought he must enforce a firmer understanding of his position upon him—
“He’s dead!”
“What?”
His mouth opened in shock.
“His Highness Emelgias led his forces to the Auroral Fortress and engaged His Highness Zilbagias. He was slain…!”
“…………”
Words escaped him. Aiogias dropped his quill.
†††
“Emelgias is dead?”
The second prince Rubyphia, sitting on her sofa while having her hair attended to by a servant, exclaimed with a bewildered voice at the report from her aide.
“Y-yes! The exact details are still unclear, but His Highness Zilbagias was reportedly attacked at the aforementioned villa—the Auroral Fortress—with six subordinates and four dragons, and they were all taken down.”
“What was Zilbagias’s strength?”
“Information is conflicted, but currently unknown. However, witnesses at the dragon launch site seem to testify that only the White Dragon’s daughter and a pet High Elf were there.”
“Ahaha!”
Rubyphia laughed while crossing her legs, responding sharply to the aide’s clear explanation.
“Serves him right. After launching a surprise attack with numerous forces, to be taken down completely… what a disgrace for generations to come. They are indeed the Izanis Tribe, ahahaha…”
“Princess, this isn’t the time to laugh.”
The aide admonished her with a serious face, yet did not deny Rubyphia’s words. Perhaps he secretly agreed.
“Well then…”
With a smile still on her lips, Rubyphia’s eyes glinted with a predatory light.
“…I wonder how Father will act.”
“I don’t know. For now, it seems he will hear from His Highness Zilbagias regarding the circumstances…”
The red-haired aide stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“What about the Aiogias faction?”
“It appears the first prince and the Izanis Tribe are actively communicating. Beyond that, there are no significant movements. The fifth prince and the Sauroe Tribe seem to be unusually quiet as well.”
“Hmm… It’s getting interesting.”
Rubyphia’s smile deepened.
“Princess… this isn’t the time for laughter.”
The aide repeated similar words, though with a hint of concern.
“Indeed. I should send a messenger to my territory—saying, ‘Prepare the weapons’, just in case.”
“Yes! Just in case!”
Saluting, the aide exited the room.
Watching him go, Rubyphia leaned back into the sofa, deep in thought.
Emelgias’s absence was a significant blow. The power balance between the factions was about to shift drastically.
The next question is how Zilbagias will fare, but depending on how things unfold—
“Hehe.”
Rubyphia laughed ominously.
“This is getting interesting.”
Uncontrollable magical power danced around her like flames—
†††
“Impossible…”
The Dark Dragon King Orphen, who rushed to the Auroral Fortress, stood astonished before the corpses of the Green Dragons.
He had heard that the four Green Dragons who accompanied the Izanis Tribe had been caught up in the conflict between the princes and had perished—but it was hard to believe.
It’s because there aren’t many demons who can kill dragons.
Indeed, the Dragon Tribe is in subjugation to the Demon Tribe. However, that’s mainly because they are being restrained from their breeding grounds and in fear of the Demon Lord’s strength.
Flying through the sky, covered in robust scales, and boasting high magical power, the Dragon Tribe could match up against even high-ranking nobles in open places.
Therefore, to think that all four Green Dragons would die against Zilbagias was simply unimaginable.
Zilbagias, being of the Reiju Tribe, is known to have two bloodline spells: {Teleportation Spell} and {Naming}. If in dragon form, the anatomical structure made it hard for {Teleportation Spell} to be effective, and curses weaken the farther one is. Thus, it made no sense for flying Green Dragons to get shot down.
It shouldn’t be.
Yet, the corpses of the Green Dragons lay scattered.
And looking at that gruesome scene—a terrifying truth emerged.
“Chief… this is…”
A subordinate who came along muttered in confusion.
“Ah… it can only be thought of as infighting…!!”
Yes. The Green Dragons seemed to have fought among themselves.
Moreover, three of them had their throats torn out, while the last had apparently died from falling, their bones and flesh crushed, and their wings scorched—
“Did Layla… did that girl do this?”
Ridiculous. Impossible. Orphen muttered those words in disbelief.
Infighting would be due to the {Charm} spell. The scorched marks looked to be from a breath of light. That was the only possible conclusion, but—
But!!
“How did she learn!? Why!?”
Orphen had always forced Layla into human form, never teaching her any dragon magic, let alone how to perform a breath attack or fly. They had scorned her for being just good at ironing while treating her as a mere servant.
It seems she managed to win some affection after being taken in by Zilbagias, and gradually became able to fly through diligent training, but—
The breath attack—well, fine. With practice, one could learn.
Yet magic is different from innate ability.
Without being taught, it shouldn’t have been possible to master it!
“What kind of trick is this!?”
Could it be that she learned magic on her own? Furthermore, she managed to brutally crush four adult Green Dragons!
If that’s the case, Layla possesses a ridiculous talent as a White Dragon—
Moreover, this damage.
The torn out throats of the Green Dragons. They had been savagely ripped from their vital points where nerves and blood vessels run through. She had no experience sparring against her own kind, yet it was unnaturally precise and ruthless.
“…………”
Orphen was simply left in shock.
To think that someone with such talent had become a loyal subordinate to Zilbagias felt so terribly ominous.
†††
“What!? The ‘dog’ has escaped…!?”
In the dwelling area of the Night Elves. Upon hearing the report from his subordinate, Sidarl inadvertently dropped his cup.
The crystal glass shattered on the floor, spilling red wine like a bloodstain.
“Y-yes… He went missing during his battle with the fourth prince, and no body has been confirmed…!”
“Ah… wh… what…!”
Words failed him as he trembled, his face pale.
Until now, Sidarl had greatly wielded influence by being responsible for the personal healing arrangements for Zilbagias, all thanks to the regenerative abilities of the former ‘Saint’ Liliana among the High Elves.
If that was lost, naturally, the provision of healing arrangements would end. Although there had still been reserved appointments… and negotiations about it were still ongoing…
Most importantly, if the relationship with Zilbagias ended, Sidarl would completely lose his backing.
Having enjoyed a springtime of prosperity with his clan, Sidarl was now in a position with no official title. His nephew Nichar, who had a connection due to Sidarl’s influence with the autonomous district officials, now held a higher position than Sidarl.
“W-what a disaster…!”
Having forced through numerous bold negotiations, Sidarl had many enemies.
What should I do!? What can I do!?
The astute Sidarl questioned himself and instantly arrived at an answer.
— There’s nothing I can do.
“Ah, ahh…!”
Those who had made him drink the bitter cup would surely come to press their advantage at this moment. Even the subordinate before him—no, even the former subordinate, looked at him with pitying eyes—
Realizing his dismal future, Sidarl sat down limply on the floor and could only gaze into the void like an empty shell.
“His Highness has fallen…!?”
Meanwhile, in the same Night Elf dwelling.
The Izanis faction among the Night Elves was trembling with fear.
“No way… they were all wiped out!? This is a joke…!”
The maid who had just plopped down in shock was the same one who went to inform Emelgias about the potential of “high-speed communication technology.”
That information was undoubtedly meant to incite Emelgias, indicating the existence of technology that could threaten the clan’s position would lead Emelgias to take some action, and indeed it went according to plan.
With Emelgias, who was growing in strength in the demon world, he could perhaps subjugate Zilbagias—if that was not possible, merely obtaining hints of high-speed communication would drastically increase the freedom of intelligence operations within the allied sphere, enhancing the position of the Izanis faction in their clan.
That was the intent.
Yet, who could have thought Emelgias would suffer defeat?
Not only defeated, but that he and his subordinates would be slaughtered…!
“And to make matters worse, it’s said the ‘dog’ has fled… the Sidarl faction has stirred up a hornet’s nest…!”
A colleague added with a trembling voice.
“No way…!”
The messenger maid was overcome by dizziness. While she indeed felt a sense of crisis as the Sidarl faction gained momentum and Zilbagias’s influence grew—
Even so, many had been saved by the personal healing arrangements. With that lost—
The resentment of those who couldn’t receive treatments would likely be directed toward the Izanis faction.
So far, the information regarding the announcement hadn’t been discovered by other groups, but once a thorough investigation began, it would only be a matter of time.
What was most terrifying was—
“Hey.”
Another colleague entered the room with a tense face, tapping the messenger maid on the shoulder.
“…Lady Nephradia is calling for you.”
A gasp escaped her throat.
— The anger of the Izanis Tribe would surely seek an outlet.
