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Chapter 222




Chapter 222
Blunder
We were teleported on our way in, but we had to ride horses on the way back .
The demons might have changed course if they couldn’t see Claire-sama, so we matched their pace .
Even Claire-sama, despite being used to riding a horse, seemed to have slightly sore buttocks .
Perhaps it was because she had nothing to do with horses after she’d become a common .
Me?
Don’t even ask .
When we returned to the fifth fortress while I applied healing magic to Claire-sama and myself, General Zasha welcomed us .
“I’ve heard about it . The operation seems to have been a big success . ”
General Zasha didn’t show much emotion on his typically of a military man, but he still slightly narrowed his eyes as he praised us for our success .
“It’s thanks to the troops you lent us . They protected us all the way back . ”
“It’s only natural . Her Majesty Dorothea
 No, that’s wrong now . Her Majesty Philine has entrusted you to us . We couldn’t let anything happen to you . ”
“We’re grateful . ”
General Zasha continued .
“The demon army seems to have taken the path to this fortress without any issues . We will be initiating a withdrawal now . ”
“I see . ”
“Claire-san, Rei-san, please return to the imperial capital first . We’ll have somebody who can use teleportation come with you . ”
“Thank you for you hard work,” added General Zasha, but,
“
 General . May we trouble your troops some more?”
Claire-sama said such a thing .
General Zasha looked puzzled .
“I don’t mind, but
 why?”
“I have an unpleasant premonition . However, it’s just a feeling, so I can’t explain it well . ”
“Hum
?”
General Zasha stroked his chin and pondered over Claire-sama’s words .
“Well, that kind of sixth sense is also important in war . And above all, I couldn’t be more grateful than to have the revolutionary maiden join our withdrawal . ”
“Then
?”
“Yes, I wish you’d stay with us for a while longer . ”
“Thank you . ”
Claire-sama and General Zasha shook hands with each other .
“I apologize for making the decision on my own, Rei . ”
“I don’t really mind, but
 what is that unpleasant premonition?”
“You see, not only Arist wasn’t there, the demons fell for the provocation too easily too . Something is wrong . ”
Claire-sama felt that things were going too well .
“Aren’t you overthinking it?”
“I hope I am . However, I want to be prepared just in case . ”
Claire-sama faintly smiled as she said that .
Like this, I and Claire-sama joined in the fifth fortress’s withdrawal, but there was little that we could actually do .
Both Claire-sama and I were excellent magicians, but we were unrelated to things like group fighting or military arts .
Even though it was called a withdrawal operation, we didn’t know what we should do .
On General Zasha’s directions, we stood by and would participate in battle as necessary .
Because the withdrawal preparations had been made in advance, it didn’t take long to actually abandon the fortress .
Claire-sama and I were with General Zasha on the way back to the imperial capital in the middle of the withdrawing army .
“It looks like the demon army has entered the fifth fortress . ”
A soldier who looked into distance with magic gave us his report .
It’s finally time .
“Okay, when all the demons are in range, activate the Inferno!”
While continuing advancing, General Zasha ordered his subordinate to keep monitoring the situation .
Time passed slowly .
And a few minutes later .
“The rear of the demon army is within the effective range!”
The soldier in charge of monitoring them shouted .
“Okay! Start the Inferno!”
General Zasha put magical power into a palm-sized magical tool .
It seemed to be some kind of authentication device with an activation key to prevent the Inferno from being activated without the authority to .
The magical tool gave off red light .
“
?”
A few minutes passed .
However, nothing happened .
“W-What’s going on!?”
We’d received an explanation about the Inferno from Philine beforehand .
It was a magical tool that activated the fire and earth elements in the earth’s veins, causing a pseudo-eruption .
If it had been successfully activated, we should have been able to feel a more dramatic change .
“Report!”
“T-The Inferno
 won’t activate!!”
A soldier on the monitoring duty let out a distressed cry .
“O-Once again!”
General Zasha input the magical power into the magical tool again .
The activation key appeared to be working fine .
However, the Inferno didn’t activate .
“Hum
 This never gets old . The sight of human beings in despair, that is . ”
The voice came from above us .
“
 Arist . ”
“Good day, Claire François . How does it feel to have your last ditch effort fail?”
The demon with bat-like wings and a frock coat said cheerfully .
“You are saying that it’s your doing
?”
“Indeed . ”
As he said that, Arist threw something big .
I braced myself for an attack, but it wasn’t that .
“Your
 Your Highness!!”
It was the body of a human being .
It had a single stab wound in the chest .
From what General Zasha said, it seemed to be the Crown Prince, who should have been overseas .
“Humans are ugly
 Truly ugly
”
“You bastard! What did you do to His Highness!?”
General Zasha drew his sword and slashed at Arist in the sky above .
He had terrifying jumping power .
Arist fought back with his extended claws .
“What, I haven’t done much . I only had him tell me the activation key of that Inferno magical tool . ”
“Stop joking around! His Highness would never be cajoled!”
As he slashed twice, thrice in the air, General Zasha denied Arist’s words .
“Of course not, under normal circumstances . But we have people who are very good at getting into the crevices of the human mind . ”
“–! It’s Salas, isn’t it!”
“Good guess, Claire François . ”
Arist affirmed Claire-sama’s words .
“Our spies have had information about the empire’s secret weapon for quite some time now, and I’ve often come to this area to search for it . But I couldn’t find it . So we decided to approach people who might know about it . ”
So the crown prince is that person .
“He was quite stubborn and wouldn’t talk . He didn’t fall for Salas Lilium’s suggestion easily . But just the other day, something happened that disappointed him . ”
“What are you trying to say!?”
General Zasha attacked fiercely, but Arist continued undisturbed .
“It was the cession of the imperial throne . ”
“–!”
I see, so that’s why .
“He didn’t expect Dorothea Naa to abdicate it so easily, and was blindsided by Philine Naa taking it over . My heart goes out to him for his disappointment . ”
“Nonsense–!”
“No, no, it’s true . In his heartbreak, he finally succumbed to Salas’s suggestion . That’s why we were able to change the activation key of the Inferno . ”
Kukuku, Arist chuckled in a low voice .
Told you .
This all happened because Dorothea didn’t lay the groundwork for abdication .
Dorothea may be superior as an individual, but she’s extremely clueless about subtleties of people .
She is probably too strong to understand the weaknesses of the human heart .
“But well, I don’t understand humans well . I got him to spit out the activation code, but I couldn’t extract any more information from him as he stabbed himself in the chest with my claw . It seemed like he wasn’t fully under mind manipulation . ”
Arist wouldn’t understand .
It’s just a possibility, but the crown prince might have refused to be a puppet of the demons at the very end .
His heart showed weakness, but also strength to overcome it .
Aristo, who didn’t seem to have the slightest interest in such matters, slowly landed on the ground and announced to us .
“And so, I’ve had your precious magical weapon disabled . It’s time you all get trampled down . ”