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Chapter 229




Chapter 229
Defeating the Demon Queen
The damage during the retreat from the Imperial Capital was much less than expected .
The casualties were almost fully limited to soldiers .
Moreover, it was only some soldiers who served in the rearguard who were affected .
There was hardly any damage to the ordinary people, so considering the situation, we should be happy .
Still, the fact that there were lives lost was tremendously heavy .
Not only the citizens of the Naa Empire but of the surrounding countries too offered their condolences about the dead, especially Dorothea .
They not only protected the people of the Naa Empire, but they also protected humanity from the threat of the demon queen and demons .
Although I was strongly opposed to glorifying death in duty, I still didn’t hesitate to express my condolences for people who risked their lives for their duty .
“Now, let’s talk about the future . ”
Saying that, Manaria-sama opened the meeting .
We were in the imperial city of ZurĂźck, near the border with the Bauer Kingdom .
It had originally been a fortified city built by the empire with the expectation of war with Bauer, now it was the frontline of the war against the demons .
We borrowed a large conference room used by the city administration and gathered to discuss the plan forward .
Most of the attendees participated in the retreat .
Claire-sama and I were a given, but there were also Manaria-sama from Soussa, His Majesty William from Appalachia, Sein-sama, Dor-sama, and Rod-sama from Bauer, Philine and Hilda from Naa, Yuu-sama, Misha, and Lily-sama from the Spirit Church .
It was a bit of a spectacular sight to see so many important people from religious groups and major nations around Bauer .
“What’s happening with the demons?”
“Let me explain it . ”
It was Hilda who responded to Manaria-sama’s question .
”According to reports from the scouts, the demons have stopped their forces after capturing the imperial capital . ”
“What’s the damage to the imperial capital?”
“About that… Curiously, there seems to be little damage to the city’s buildings and facilities . Food seems to have been scavenged, but nothing like reckless destruction was observed . That’s what the reports say . ”
“… Eerie . ”
His Majesty Sein knit his brows .
“No, no, no, we should be happy that the city is not destroyed . It makes it easier to recover after we recapture it from the demons . ”
“Bill, we should think about repelling the demon for now . Recovery comes later . ”
Dor-sama honestly commented on His Majesty William’s carefree words .
“I wonder how’s the demon-repelling barrier . ”
If the town hadn’t been destroyed, was it intact as well?
“It’s no surprise, but it seems to have been destroyed . The magic gems installed in the east, west, north and south of the imperial capital are all reported to have been broken . ”
“Then, the demons made it into the imperial capital…?”
After Hilda finished her explanation, Claire-sama posed her question .
“Yes . At present, the Demon Queen and Plato seem to have taken residence in the imperial castle . ”
“What about Lates?”
“We don’t know . It’s possible he might have stayed in the demon territory as the rear guard, but…”
“… We can’t be optimistic, can we?”
We didn’t have Dorothea with us after all .
We had to deal with the two remaining Great Archdukes and the Demon Queen without her .
“Philine, the imperial capital will very likely become a battlefield, but you don’t mind, do you?”
“…”
Even though Manaria-sama asked that question, Philine just had a vacant expression on her face and didn’t answer .
“… Your Majesty Philine . ”
“Ah… Sorry . It’s nothing . ”
After Hilda shook her shoulder, she finally seemed to return to her senses .
“You just lost your mother… I truly sympathize with you . ”
Dor-sama offered condolences with a somber look on his face .
“Thank you very much . However, I can’t remain depressed . I am now the Empress of the Naa Empire . If something like this stopped me, my mother would laugh at me . ”
Philine showed a courageous smile, but no matter how I looked at it, she was forcing herself .
I’m sure that’s just how important Dorothea was for her .
“I have no choice but to accept the imperial capital becoming a battlefield . If anything, we should be happy to have the locational advantage . ”
Philine said courageously .
She loved her people greatly .
There was no mistaking that the thought of staining the place where they lived with blood must’ve hurt her deeply .
“Apart from recapturing the imperial capital, the problem is the demon queen . ”
Manaria-sama said together with a deep sigh .
“I’ve heard that the demon queen is actually Rei-chan, but I don’t understand that . What does it mean?”
His Majesty William asked me for an explanation .
I didn’t understand well either, so I had no idea how to answer .
“I don’t understand the details . However, there is no doubt that the identity of the demon queen is Rei . ”
“I guarantee it,” declared Claire-sama .
“No but, isn’t it Rei-chan over there? Or what? Are you trying to say that there are two Rei-chans?”
“I think that’s probably the case . ”
“… No no no . ”
William-sama smiled bitterly .
Dor-sama also frowned at Claire-sama and said .
“Since you are saying that, it might be partially the truth, but it’s a little far-fetched for there to be two of the same person . ”
“It’s certainly mysterious . However, the demon queen is unmistakably Rei . ”
“I could tell,” Claire-sama didn’t yield an inch .
“… Rei, how did you feel about that?”
His Majesty Sein turned to me .
Even if he asks me that…
“Honestly, I don’t know . The face and voice were similar . So much that I could say they were mine . However, according to Manaria-sama, the magical power she was clad in and the composition of her magic seemed different from mine . Perhaps, it’s just our appearance that’s similar――”
“It’s not . That was Rei . ”
Claire-sama stubbornly denied the possibility I brought up .
“That’s troubling . No, honestly, I don’t care about the demon queen’s identity . We just have to defeat her anyway . However, at present, it’d be extremely difficult to defeat that demon queen head-on . We need information to defeat her . ”
“The demon queen’s identity could be the starting point of that,” added Manaria-sama .
“Does anybody else have some information about the demon queen? What about the church?”
William-sama asked Yuu-sama .
“I don’t think the existence of the demon queen was reported in the church . Isn’t that right, Missha?”
“Indeed . Yes . I had the opportunity to check the old literature of the church, and although there were detailed descriptions of the demons, I don’t think there was any mention of the demon queen . ”
“… Even the church that has been in conflict with the demons for ages doesn’t know anything?”
Sein-sama reacted with a grim face to Misha’s word .
Everybody fell silent, unable to see the solution .
“Should I explain? I don’t know how many people will understand though . ”
Suddenly, a voice resounded throughout the conference hall .
“Lily-sama?”
The owner of the voice was Lily-sama .
“It’s about time . Finally the demon queen has been dragged out to the front stage . I can finally talk now . ”
Lily-sama spoke in an innocent tone .
“The church shouldn’t know about the demon que–”
“No, Rei . It’s not Lily who’s talking right now . ”
“… Ah . ”
I see, so that’s what it is .
“Isn’t that right, Apostle?”
The apostle grinned to confirm Claire-sama’s question .