Chapter 162

Chapter 162

“Teacher.”

Seere entered Nahun’s temporary office, looking well-groomed. Although it was called an office, in reality, it was just a barracks. The Demon King Castle on the 72nd floor had not been rebuilt, so this barracks was used as a temporary office.

This meant that the security was quite weak. Although soldiers were guarding it, who could stop Seere, the ruler of them all? She could roam freely wherever she pleased.

So…

“Hmm…? You’re sleeping.”

Even if Nahun was snoring away, Seere could enter without a hitch.

The Great Demon Nahun did not actually need sleep, but he kept a similar schedule to everyone else. And due to the habits retained from before possessing someone, he occasionally needed to sleep like this.

Seere looked around before cautiously approaching Nahun.

Papers with incomplete operational outlines were scattered on a nearby side table. It seemed he was scribbling down how to conduct a fight in the Demon World. Writing it down was much easier than just thinking about it.

Seere, who had approached the sleeping Nahun, carefully brought a chair and placed it next to the bed. She then quietly sat down and gazed at Nahun’s profile as he slept.

“…He’s handsome.”

Seere whispered softly so that Nahun could not hear, starting a little private appraisal.

“His eyelashes are longer than I expected for a guy.”

She started from his eyes and slowly moved down.

“His nose is nicely sharp and looks cool…”

Even though nobody was watching or listening, Seere mumbled her thoughts to herself, smiling lightly without realizing it.

“Hmm… his lips are a bit shy, though.”

Seere, getting lost in her imagination, touched her own lips with her finger.

“I wonder what it would feel like to touch them…”

Seere leaned slightly forward. As she gazed intently at Nahun’s lips, a strange sound suddenly came from beside her.

“Pwoo.”

“!”

Seere quickly turned her head, and there were Nahun’s massus. A pure white whale. It was a massu that reminded her of the whale plush toy Nahun had gifted her when she was young.

This little one had a familiar face for Seere, but the other two were somewhat unfamiliar. One looked like a small elephant and the other like a small dragon with a beak.

“Muwu.”

“Beeh.”

The three massus poked their heads out, closely observing Seere. They looked as if they were witnessing something interesting. Feeling their gazes, Seere’s face turned slightly red.

“Ah, I… I didn’t do anything.”

“Pwoo.”

Seere denied it, but the massus made expressions that looked mischievous, as if to say, “We saw everything.”

“Muhuwu!”

“Teacher will wake up. Quietly…”

“Beep!”

Gize scratched Behemoth’s face with its claws as if scolding it for disturbing their master’s deep sleep. As a result, Behemoth winced and shouted.

“Muwu!!”

“I said to be quiet…!”

“It’s noisy…”

The moment Nahun’s voice was heard, Seere and the massus froze in place. His voice was quite deep, which made his words sound a bit threatening.

Turning her head awkwardly, Seere could still see Nahun sleeping soundly.

It seemed like he was just sleep-talking. Seere glanced at Behemoth and said,

“…Should we be quiet?”

“Muwu…”

As Behemoth nodded, Seere felt relieved and turned her gaze back to Nahun. Then, she became slightly flustered.

“Uh…”

Nahun had apparently turned over while sleep-talking, facing the wall. Because of that, Seere could no longer see his face correctly.

“I can’t see…”

Seere puffed up her cheeks as she looked at Behemoth, who averted its gaze, looking embarrassed by her resentful stare.

“…Sigh.”

There was nothing she could do. Given the situation, she could only wait until Nahun turned back to his original position.

Seere tidied the papers on the side table a bit, and while waiting for Nahun to lie straight again, she took a look at the strategies he was devising.

“Hmm?”

In the meantime, she spotted something strange. Seere held the paper upright and stared at it for a while.

“What is… this?”

The paper did not contain any proper operational outline. What was written were just a few questions and the corresponding answers that Nahun had pondered himself.

One of them surprised Seere. She reread the sentence and glanced over at the sleeping Nahun.

‘Does the teacher think this is possible?’

If Nahun were awake, she would have asked him directly, but for now, she could only ponder. The paper she saw had the following written on it:

[ If the Archangel invades the Demon World, they will engage in a solo battle against the invading heavenly army. ]

#

Agreas’s main force had rounded up the defeated 1st and 2nd armies, and the 3rd army had also been retreated in advance. Though the 3rd army had emerged victorious, staying by the kingdom would only block their retreat now that the 2nd army had been defeated.

Thus, the Demon World allied forces, split into three armies, ended up gathering in a direction contrary to their original intention.

“Agreas.”

“…What?”

“Why did you accept the request from the Debata forces?”

The commanders of each army—Basago, Samygina, and Morax—had assembled through Agreas’s summoning, now that all the forces were gathered.

As they met with Agreas, Basago promptly asked the question he deemed necessary. Agreas responded.

“What should I do if they say they can’t fight because they can’t receive supplies?”

“Did you really not know that it’s just an excuse?”

“They said it was actually true? Right, Morax?”

At Agreas’s question, Morax hesitantly glanced at Basago before slowly nodding.

“I have direct verification from Basago’s messenger. That’s how I handled it… didn’t you hear anything?”

“Ugh… I did hear, but isn’t it likely that it was just a ruse? If they truly couldn’t secure supplies, how could they conquer the Piast Kingdom?”

“Seere von Debata fought exceptionally well.”

That was Samygina’s remark. Basago replied to her.

“Does that make any sense?”

“I don’t think it does, but do you have any alternative explanation? The supply officer of the 3rd army testified the same. They said the supplies weren’t coming in properly.”

Samygina’s gaze passed over Basago and turned towards Agreas.

“Thanks to someone deliberately cutting supplies.”

“Oh my, why are you looking at me?”

“What on earth did you discuss with Belzebut? What does Seere von Debata have that makes you go that far?”

At Samygina’s question, Basago too looked at Agreas with curiosity. Agreas shrugged lightly and simply replied.

“Do I really have that kind of personality?”

“Which makes it even more puzzling.”

“Therefore, it’s not my will, is what I’m saying.”

Basago and Samygina were taken aback by Agreas’s words. It was exceedingly rare for someone to give orders to Agreas, who wouldn’t usually follow anyone’s commands, being the 2nd ranked demon lord.

“Was it Belzebut’s will? Not only did you put her on the front lines, but you also obstructed supplies?”

“He told me to make Seere von Debata collapse. Since he sent her to the front lines to be defeated, lo and behold, she’s gaining victory… and as I thought about how to make her collapse, that was all that came to mind.”

Basago narrowed his brow slightly at Agreas’s response.

“What on earth is it that you both want?”

Basago and Samygina had not accurately identified Nahun’s existence. They had seen him at the council but did not feel any unusual energy from him… since they had never experienced such a thing.

But Belzebut, who had originally known Nahun, and Agreas, who sensed something significant from Nahun’s gaze, were different.

“I’m not sure about the details, but something is indeed there?”

“…You don’t know? You’re actually paying attention to something so uncertain?”

“Couldn’t I be that way too?”

As Agreas chuckled lightly, Basago and Samygina responded with a sour look.

“No matter how you think about it, that can’t be right…”

“Yes, that’s more like it.”

“Do both of you want to die by my hand instead of an angel?”

Agreas suppressed the momentary surge of anger and told the two demon lords that there was an urgent matter at hand.

“Someone has to buy time for the entire army to travel through the portal.”

“How can we hold up against Michaël?”

“That’s precisely why we need to think. If we do nothing, we’ll all perish before reaching the Demon World.”

“…If we receive support from our legions along with those from Marbas, Malefor, Barbatos, and Phynox, we could somehow buy time. Samygina’s commander legion isn’t completely shattered yet.”

“No!”

“What do you mean?”

Basago’s reasoning was sound. Samygina felt the same. However, Agreas opposed.

“That would result in too great a loss on our part. We can’t allow that. It could affect our rankings.”

“…In any case, there’s no situation where we can avoid damage. We have to carry the damage to save our lives.”

“Then we can share the damage we take with the other demon lords.”

“How do we do that…”

Agreas spoke to Basago as if it were very simple, in an uninterested tone.

“While they buy time, let’s just escape together.”

“…That would cause a serious backlash throughout the Demon World. It’s not a good choice for a commander.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

Basago cautiously suggested.

“Rather, it would be more reasonable for us to take the brunt of it.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then who are you planning to send?”

At Basago’s question, Agreas smiled.

“The 3rd army has achieved quite a few victories this time, right?”

“…What?”

“With that level of ability, won’t they be able to hold up well while we retreat?”

Though she said this, the truth was that she was effectively planning to sacrifice the other demon lords to escape… without a doubt, there would be a lot of criticism and jeering.

As Basago came to this realization, she understood why this reckless demon lord was acting so boldly.

‘She doesn’t care about those things, huh….’

It was possible only because she was a demon lord who didn’t concern herself with such matters. Agreas addressed the two.

“I suppose I’ve explained enough? Then, by order of the supreme commander, I command.”

Agreas spoke to Morax.

“Lead the demon lords of the 3rd army into battle.”

“…Is that even possible?”

“You know we have to do it, even if it’s not possible, right?”

As Agreas spoke, her eyes were smiling, but Morax let out a sigh at her gaze. He wondered if he was being discarded in this manner, thinking it wouldn’t be surprising.

“I shall do as you command.”

First, their mission had to be handled. Morax left to inspect the troops, leaving only the three powerful demon lords behind.

“I wonder when Michaël will arrive.”

“He better arrive as late as possible.”

“Then we won’t be able to buy more time there, will we?”

Basago answered Agreas’s question simply.

“It’s possible, but doesn’t it seem meaningless? After all, the opponent is an Archangel. No matter how much they are delayed, they won’t face any problems.”

“Is that so?”

Just then, a loud noise sounded.

Kuwaang!!!

“…Look at that.”

Basago turned to Agreas, whom she expected it from. Agreas stared at the entrance of the barracks as if sensing something.

“Finally, they’ve arrived.”

It seemed that the heavenly army had come right up to their doorstep.

A combativeness flickered in Agreas’s eyes. At any moment, she seemed ready to fight Michaël. As Agreas was trying to calm down, someone appeared in the barracks where they had gathered.

“Agreas, I haven’t given you any further orders.”

Although he had definitely not been there just moments ago, he now appeared with an overwhelming presence.

“Belzebut.”

Belzebut von Deus. He had returned from hell right before the Great War of Angels. He narrowed his eyes and asked Agreas.

“What happened to Seere von Debata?”

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