Chapter 285 – Beginning of the Scheme
23rd day since we’ve begun a simultaneous invasion with Motoki.
～♪
Today as well the melody announcing a disgusting caller has been playing on my smartphone since morning. The caller is the pig ― Demon King Motoki.
『Shion, I’ve heard rumors that you’ve finished at a skirmish yesterday as well, but is that true?』
“What do you define as a skirmish?”
『I’ve had it with the word games! Your real power as a member of the 『Thirteen Evil Stars』 isn’t anything like that, right!? When! When are you going to get serious!?』
“I’m always serious, though. If you’re going to say all that, your side has retreated early on yesterday as well, no?”
『Ugh!? Our forces are puny, so we’ve been fighting at our best so far!』
“I see. Then I’ll give you the same answer. We’re fighting at our best.”
『…I-I know of your true strength, sworn friend Shion! There’s no way that this is all you can do!』
“What do you know about me anyway? Oh well, whatever. Let’s assume that I’m not being serious about this for argument’s sake. Tell me the reason why I would inform you about my schedule to launch a serious invasion?”
『T-That’s…it’s ‘that’! We’re sworn friends! We’ve become one in body and soul!』
“If we’re one in body and soul, you can read my thoughts, no?”
『Grml…if I can’t read your movements, I won’t be able to match mine either, right!?』
“Match? Match your movements to what?”
『T-That’s…our mutual――』
“Ah, no need to continue. I don’t care anyway. Let’s stop wasting each other’s time. I’ll show you some kind of big movement within one week.”
『Within a week, you say?』
“We have to prepare as well, so the timing might be off somewhat.”
I can’t endure listening to his revolting, whiny voice any longer, and thus I end the call from my side.
Now then, I think it’s about time, huh?
I use my smartphone to contact a certain subordinate.
『Aye-aye, Shion-chi!』
“Is everything ready?”
『All perfect! We can start at any time!』
“Okay, we’ll carry it out tonight then. Please take care of the final patrols.”
『Ay』
Everything is ready. I suppose I’ll crush this stagnated flow.
I assembled my leaders and informed them about tonight’s operation.
◆
5:30 p.m. – As usual, the pig starts early with his attack on Tateyama Fortress.
6:00 p.m. – The Aster Empire advances on the Nanto Fortress.
6:30 p.m. – In the middle of the skirmish, I have a huge group of ghouls charge the phalanx unit.
At the same time, I’m standing at a depopulated farming area five kilometers north from the Tateyama Fortress. Sarah has finished checking that no humans are to be found within a radius of three kilometers around my current position.
Of course the humans have set up a surveillance system since Demon Kings have been usurping uninhabited areas. But, the surveillance focuses on the master of the neighboring Domain ― Demon King Motoki. And right now, their surveillance target is in the middle of attacking Tateyama Fortress.
We’ve also finished the investigation of the patrols in the surroundings, but Saburou’s unit has slain those patrols earlier. We’ve also found out the locations and types of the surveillance cameras.
Right now is the hot phase where the Aster Empire and Motoki are launching their farce against the humans of Toyama. Although it’s a farce, it’s still a deadly one. Many humans concentrate their attention on Nanto Fortress and Tateyama Fortress.
The phenomenon triggered as a result of that――
――≪Reign≫
『You have started 《Reign》』
『《Reign》 has been announced to the hostile entities within its effective range』
『Please remove all hostile entities in range within 180 minutes』
『Alert! Hostile forces confirmed within the effective range. Please eliminate them at once.』
『Display map of effective range? 【ＹＥＳ】 【ＮＯ】』
――is my ≪Reign≫ on on an uninhabited plot of land.
――All hands, keep a close eye on the surroundings! If you spot any enemy forces, kill them at once!
While giving my telepathic order, I deploy my subordinates in all directions.
8:30 p.m. – Motoki begins to retreat. At the same time, the humans of Toyama City move towards Nanto Fortress. 60 minutes left until my Reign is finished.
9:10 p.m. – The ghoul unit I’ve prepared in advance has been completely annihilated. Kotetsu, whom I’ve entrusted with the attack on the fortress, continues the farce while focusing on ranged attacks.
9:30 p.m.
――『Reign finished』
I resolved myself for a bit of fighting, but the Reign finished all too quickly. Showing off, I used Domain Creation to design the sector in a way that made it clear to anyone what had happened here.
The Aster Empire had established a sector merely two kilometers away from the Tateyama Fortress.
◆
As I’m setting up my new sector…
～♪
…my smartphone plays the melody warning me of unpleasant pig whining.
『Shion! What is the meaning of ‘that’!?』
“That as in what?”
The pig is shouting as soon as I pick up the call.
『The sector that has appeared north of Tateyama Fortress!』
“Aah…you’re talking about that? It was an open plot of land, so I did a Reign on it.”
『I-I haven’t heard anything about this!』
“Was there any need for me to tell you? Oh, so far as it goes, I did tell you before…that I’d show you a big movement within a week’s time.”
『I haven’t heard anything about the details! Besides, it wasn’t within a week’s time, was it!?』
“Today is included within a week’s time, no?”
『If it was going to be today, you could have told me so, right!? Didn’t you deceive me?』
Apparently quite enraged, the pig is oinking around to an annoying extent.
“I deceived you? What are you talking about? Just when did I deceive you?”
『Why did you hid today’s plan!? Tell me! It was for the sake of deceiving me, wasn’t it!?』
“Hey? I’ve been silently listening for a while now, but didn’t you misunderstand something?”
『What am I supposed to misunderstand about this!?』
“What’s our relationship?”
『S-Sworn friends!』
“Sworn friends ―― in short, we’ve formed an alliance. For this alliance we’ve agreed to not attack each other, and, as a big service towards you, I’ve accepted for us to invade Toyama simultaneously.”
『Correct! You have promised to cooperate with me to take down the humans of Toyama! But, you’ve performed a grandstand play while deceiving me!』
“Huh? Aren’t you misunderstanding something? Are you my master or something? Do I require your permission for anything I do?”
『T-That’s not what I mean, but…but, as sworn friends, we should mutually――』
“Don’t get carried away, okay? I’ve kept my promise with you and attacked Toyama’s humans alongside you while also not invading your Domain. No matter what I might do otherwise…I’ve got no duty to inform you about any of it! Correct?”
『B-But…then the meaning of the alliance――』
“Hah? Are you telling me to become your slave?”
『No! For an alliance of equals…』
“We’re plenty equal, aren’t we? I’ve kept the promises you suggested. So you just need to stay silent and keep your promises as well.”
『Ugh…I understand. But, next time――』
“Even next time I have absolutely no intention to inform you about what I’m planning to do. If you dislike it, we can cancel the alliance right now and here. What’s it gonna be?”
『I got it…』
I’ve ended up becoming atypically emotional, but I was able to argue down Motoki. This spelled the successful end of the first phase of my invasion into Toyama.
Translation Notes:
