Volume 9 Chapter 27 Day One (Departure) ★
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Takumi-sama, the preparations for departure are complete,” said the attendant.
”Ah, thank you. Nyx, I’d like you to rally their spirits as well.”
We were about to march with the 1,500 soldiers we had scraped together from Seron, bound to relieve McGaref. Eris and her eleven elite soldiers had permission to act independently as the situation required. Rusty, being a god, could not join the campaign, and Meruru, together with Aria, was tasked with guarding Nyx and me.
”Then, please take care… I will send reinforcements as soon as I can obtain anything useful,” said Ranka.
”Thank you, Ranka-san.”
Both Ranka and Rusty opposed my going along. Yet there was no one else suited to command. Truthfully, Nyx and I, lacking combat ability, ought to have stayed behind. But that would not inspire the troops. At the very least, as long as Nyx was present, Seron’s soldiers would hold their ground.
”You are all veterans who once fought against the Lesta Kingdom,” Nyx began, standing before the assembled ranks. “We lost that war. We lost our homeland.”
The soldiers straightened their spines, listening intently to her beautiful, commanding voice.
”But Takumi-sama saved us. And now, he is king of this land—and I am his wife. McGaref is our kin. That fortress city stands on the brink of ruin… This is the moment to repay our debt! If McGaref falls, the enemy will bare its fangs at Seron next. We must not allow this capital to burn again. So I ask you—entrust your lives to us!”
At her cry, the soldiers roared in unison, their voices thunderous. The surge of spirit was powerful—but the outcome of war remained uncertain. Clad awkwardly in armor I wasn’t used to, I climbed into the carriage. Shameful as it was, I couldn’t ride a horse. Nyx too wore armor, with Aria at her side and Meruru projecting a magical defense.
”Aria, isn’t that outfit a little too light?” I asked.
”It’s fine,” she said with quiet confidence. “I’ve stitched metal threads into it with my Maid Skill. It’s tougher than it looks, Tak-kun. When the time comes, don’t hesitate to use me as a shield. Promise me that much.”
”…I understand. But I don’t intend to let you die.”
We kissed. There was no time to do more—too exposed, too dangerous. I had at least given the elf women enough of my embrace to satisfy them before leaving.
”We don’t know when the First Emperor’s forces will emerge from the Labyrinth. Let’s move as quickly as we can.”
In this country, the concept of supply lines was nearly obsolete thanks to the Magic Bag. Ranka had arranged for what little we required along the way, so the march would be swift. From the carriage, I gave the order to advance, and the army began to move. Unlike the last war, Haruka-chan, Chinatsu-chan, and Ginga-kun were absent.
”Rira and Hikari will be all right, won’t they?” I murmured.
”They’ll be fine. I’m sure of it,” Nyx reassured me.
Communication by magic power was dangerous—it was an open channel. We avoided it except when absolutely necessary, relying on simple codes in brief exchanges. A message like “Everyone’s fine today” meant safety. But if the phrase shifted subtly—”Everyone’s still fine today”—it signaled trouble. Small ciphered touches like that kept us connected.
”Rira and I can also communicate irregularly through the Divine Oracle Skill,” Rusty told us at the departure. “I’ve told her of your leaving… Forgive me, but the rest is in your hands. Meruru, stay strong.”
”Yes, Grandmother. I would give my life if I must.”
”No. You are queen. Even if it means sacrificing Eris, your survival comes first.”
With those words, Rusty stepped down from the carriage. And so, our march toward McGaref began.
* * *
”Well, Commander Grano, kept you waiting?” said the First Emperor with an amused smirk.
”No worries, kid,” Grano replied. “I’m used to being jerked around by you.”
Grano and his men, waiting eagerly for the campaign, welcomed the First Emperor and Cartera back from Quvar’s Imperial Capital. The First Emperor swiftly outlined the plan, and Grano nodded.
”As always, I’ll leave the details to you. But to commit the entire Third Division just to kill a witch named Clarice—that’s thorough.”
”She wasn’t even going all out, yet she nullified Cartera’s magic,” Grano said.
”Yes,” Cartera purred. “As far as defense goes, she was quite remarkable.”
”Then against a defensive witch, sheer numbers work best. Surround her, stab her again and again until her magic power is drained. As for her bodyguard girl, strong as she may be, Keirald will handle her.”
”Ah, yes—the bodyguard who slew me back in the Labyrinth,” the First Emperor mused. “If possible, take her alive. Through my puppets, I can’t see her face clearly. I’d like to savor it—see how cute she really is, violate her, torment her, listen to her beg before I kill her.”
”They say she ranks thirteenth,” Grano said grimly. “Might not be easy, but I’ll tell Keirald. The witch dies regardless.”
”Fair enough… And Beria turning traitor before the battle? Almost laughable,” the Emperor chuckled.
There was no anger or haste in his expression—only the curve of his lips, savoring the unforeseen.
”Well, she’s finally embodied. Let her play as she likes. In the end, I’ll behead her alongside her beloved witch. That’ll be satisfaction enough.”
”How delightful,” Cartera breathed. “But may I have my turn too? Opportunities for a witch to kill another witch are rare… ah, just imagining it makes me wet.”
”If you can break her and turn her, that’s fine too. From what I’ve heard, they want us to recruit that so-called Witch of Inferno.”
”Mmm… slurp… ahh, Your Majesty’s, aching with bloodlust, is simply divine~desuwa♡”
Cartera’s words melted into moans as she knelt and took the Emperor into her mouth. Obscene sounds filled the chamber as she worked, until he pressed her head down and released deep in her throat. He laughed at Grano over her gagging form.
”So many reports after just two days away. Sheryl, wasn’t it? My descendant—the princess. They say you caught her?”
”Yeah. She’s with Almaria now, guarded by her knight. Want to take her first, before the campaign?”
”No, no… She’s already been made that commander’s slave, no longer a virgin. Nasty man, that one. Makes the war all the more interesting.”
”Damn right. It’s been too long since a real war.”
”I won’t keep you waiting, then. Let’s march at once.”
Releasing Cartera at last, he let her wipe her mouth and smile up at him with sultry grace.
”War, isn’t it?” she cooed.
”Yes. Let’s have war. Before I kill the gods, I’ll trample McGaref to dust. That will do nicely.”
His orders carried to the commander of the Fourth Division. And so the undead legions clattered forward, the grinding of bones echoing death’s advance, as they set out to ravage McGaref.
Notes:
• Nyx – The First Princess of Celon Dukedom, who escapes to McGaref; next in line to the throne after the Queen’s expected death.
• McGaref – Fortress city, adventurer hub.
• Rusty – She is an enigmatic elf and the oldest sister at ‘Night Butterfly,’ a high-class brothel. Her charming, forward approach surprises the narrator, offering him a unique connection.
• Ranka – She’s a guild shop assistant with a friendly demeanor and a practical mindset. Ranka’s recommendations are based on logical, merchant-minded suggestions, catering to the buyer’s needs.
• Lesta Kingdom – A kingdom neighboring the Quvarian Empire; currently at war with the Seron Dukedom and potentially the Empire.
• Chinatsu – White Wall — Black hair, B-cup. Adventurous, masochistic, Takumi’s first slave & lover. Master of Asakura-ryu Iaijutsu, wields cursed sword Chisame (blood-powered). 12th-ranked fighter, close to Hikari. First appears in v1c1 Prologue.
• Haruka – Witch of Destruction — Silver-haired, F-cup. Former class vice-president, now a powerful witch. Wields the Agilaus Staff, capable of devastating ritual magic. Became the world’s strongest after acquiring the ‘Dark Emperor of the Abyss’ as a familiar. Exhibits exhibitionist tendencies, often seeking public intimacy with Takumi. Deeply devoted to him, balancing her role as a leader with her desires. First appears in v1c1 Prologue.
• Hikari – 4th Division leader. Stressed, relies on Takumi.
• Rira – A classmate and one of Takumi-kun’s harem members. She has J-cup breasts and short black hair, which she plans to dye blue. Rira enjoys playful and creative expressions of intimacy, including cosplay and affectionate physical affection. Rira is also known for her ‘Intuition’ skill, which has been evolving into something more advanced. She is a key figure in Takumi-kun’s life, offering both emotional and physical support. First appearance in v1c15.
• Grano – The Black Flame General, a legendary figure from Quvar’s past, now resurrected as part of the First Emperor’s ghostly host. Known for his ruthless tactics and unwavering loyalty to the Emperor, Grano commands a significant portion of the undead army. He is disdainful of the living, particularly those who oppose the Emperor’s plans, and shows no mercy in battle. His presence, alongside other legendary generals like Belhart, underscores the immense threat posed by the Emperor’s forces. First mentioned in v9c7.
• Cartera – Eternal Witch — The First Emperor’s mistress and a resurrected sorceress of immense power. Cruel and seductive, she takes pleasure in destruction and defilement. Her loyalty to the Emperor is absolute, and she shares his desire to end the world. First appears in v9c3.
• Clarice – The ‘Witch of Abundance’ from Lesta Kingdom.
• Keirald – Once a commander in the northern wars, now a spectral soldier bound by a magic stone. Massive build, armored in living muscle. His voice thunders like iron against shield. Relationship – Loyal general to the First Emperor. Reminder: -His existence is sustained by the magic stone embedded in his armor. First appearance in v9c8.
• Sheryl – Second Princess of the Quvarian Empire, a striking beauty with red hair. Initially appears as a diplomatic envoy, but she is a reformer within the empire, seeking to atone for Quvar’s past betrayals, particularly the destruction of the Northern Kingdom. Sheryl is highly intelligent and politically savvy, using her position to gather secrets and undermine the empire’s plans to destroy McGaref. She is also a slave to Takumi, bound by enslavement magic, and tasked with sowing chaos within Quvar. Despite her circumstances, she maintains a sense of duty and hopes to bring about change. First appears in v6c26.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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