Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 301

301: What Must Be Protected

I had told my own army to fight and die.

Because it was necessary. Because we lived in a world where we had to tell our own comrades to die, just because it was necessary.

“…I see.”

His Majesty nodded, his face set with a grim resolve. And he declared, in a sonorous voice.

“I will adopt the Lord of Disease’s proposal.”

“Your Majesty!”

“…This is war. And only we, the Demon King’s army, need to die.”

And His Majesty looked at me.

“And, Lord of Disease, what will you do?”

“—To the rear.”

“Are you saying you will flee?”

“Do not misunderstand. My objective is the enemy’s rear.”

I cut down his mocking voice with a single blow.

“I will completely sever their rear.”

“The rear is… primarily non-combatants, is it not?”

“That has always been the Sixth Army’s objective. So, we will crush them all. All that the enemy must protect is all that we must destroy.”

“We are short on troops at the moment.”

“We will handle it. We, the Sixth Army, are an army that was established for the purpose of destroying the enemy’s domestic infrastructure, operating under the command of me, a supreme commander with the authority to act independently. Therefore, we will go and fulfill that duty completely. The main army should focus on a delaying action.”

I answered their legitimate questions one by one and looked around at everyone. Their races were different, their directions were slightly different, and the weight of the pride they held in their hearts was also different. And yet, we had gathered under the same banner.

“Reinforcements will be needed, but Fort Litalside will eventually fall. The time that Bringit Finis has bought us will soon run out.”

There were things that must not be lost. There were things that must be protected.

“There are things that must be protected, even if it means using up all of our Demon King’s army.”

Even if she died. Even if I died.

“This is our country.”

Even if everyone in this room died. That didn’t matter.

“This is our country…!”

I was the Lord of Disease.

Species: Human.

Objective: Human extinction.

This was a country with enough kindness to make me, a mere human, swear to the extermination of my own kind.

There were things that must not be destroyed.

No matter what else was sacrificed.

No matter what else was destroyed.

—There was something I wanted to protect.

The first to stand was Dustin Wenfield, the current head of the Wenfield family. While he had been keeping a low profile recently, he was from a powerful family that had once been known as the most radical of the anti-Lord of Disease faction.

And he, under the gaze of everyone, knelt before the Lord of Disease.

“—Everything, as you have said. We will evacuate the people and conduct a delaying action. A scorched earth is all they deserve.”

“Dustin-dono?!”

“You, of all people!”

“Is there any other way?”

He stood up and looked around, and everyone either looked down, avoiding his gaze, or looked away.

“The human army is, without a doubt, a large one. But for that very reason, their advance is slow, and I do not believe their supplies are sufficient. They must be counting on additional transport from the rear and looting. We must disrupt that calculation.”

“B-but you are saying we should turn most of this country into a scorched earth?”

“My father… the former head of the Wenfield family, fought alongside His Majesty in the founding of this nation.”

“I am aware of that…”

“We built this nation of Listrea in this barren land, where only a few beastmen and dragons lived. After we have protected and saved our people, we can do the same.”

His words struck a chord with everyone. I was no exception, and I was glad I hadn’t killed this man.

A few others followed his lead and knelt before me. A few more followed, hesitantly, and those who did not, who did not succumb to the peer pressure, still bowed their heads to me and remained silent.

His Majesty the Demon King spoke.

“It is decided. The Sixth Army is granted the freedom to act. The rest will prepare for the evacuation of the people and to buy time for that.”

Everyone, including myself, listened to His Majesty the Demon King’s words with a solemn expression.

“In the name of the king of the Listrea Demon Kingdom, I command you. —Give the humans nothing more.”

Give the humans nothing. Let them take nothing from our country. The lives of the people of Listrea, their food, their victory—even their hope for the future.

Give them nothing more.