In a meeting to discuss the responsibility for their defeat, which had been brushed aside without much punishment, the generals who had knelt before the King now stood up with relief, knowing they had escaped relatively unharmed.
To be honest, given the situation, they had feared anything from a demotion in rank to the possibility of execution.
So, to have the matter resolved without punishment was an immense stroke of luck for them.
However, unlike most of the other generals, two individuals among them—the mage Brutus and the witch Judah—were deeply unsettled at this moment.
“At least… we got through it safely, right?”
“Yeah… but what happened? Even the Emperor wouldn’t just overlook such a failure like this.”
“Hmm…”
Judah tilted her head in response to Brutus’s question, but despite her intelligence, she couldn’t come to a clear conclusion herself.
There was only one thing they could guess with some certainty:
Mari’s death had been of such great value to the Emperor that it seemed to overshadow the defeat.
The Emperor had even offered substantial rewards when giving the order, signaling just how crucial this mission had been.
However, the fact that Emperor Hiren III, known for his brutal cruelty, had let go of such an enormous loss was something they couldn’t quite understand.
“Master… no, I thought I understood most things about Mari, but… Judah, do you have any idea what’s really going on?”
“No. Honestly, even though it was the Emperor’s command, and there were rewards involved, I still don’t understand. Why would someone as strong and loyal as her…”
Unlike the other generals, Brutus and Judah had been Mari’s most trusted disciples.
They knew the details of her secret execution and had even been directly involved, using the opportunity to strike when she was at her most vulnerable.
However, despite their involvement in the betrayal, they couldn’t help but feel confused about the reason for Mari’s downfall.
If Mari had turned against them or committed some grave crime, they could at least understand the Emperor’s actions to some extent.
However, the Mari they knew was a figure of unwavering integrity and absolute loyalty.
She wasn’t just a formidable warrior—she was one of the Empire’s greatest assets.
Her mere presence on the battlefield had been enough to deter demon attacks.
There had even been multiple instances where, upon hearing rumors that Mari was stationed in a certain area, the demon forces had chosen to abandon their offensives altogether.
“There’s definitely something more to this. Something we don’t know, but something that must be incredibly important—perhaps even critical—to the Emperor.”
“You might be right…”
The more they discussed it, the more their curiosity grew.
However, neither Brutus nor Judah had any intention of digging too deep.
“It’s intriguing, but let’s not think too much about it.”
“Yeah… we probably should. No matter what, our lives are more important. If we get too involved in this, we might really lose our heads…”
Getting entangled in imperial affairs was a surefire way to end up dead, with not even their remains left to be found.
Besides, from what little they could already tell, this entire situation was far too dangerous for them to investigate any further.
Deciding to leave their curiosity behind, the two of them instead focused on the relief of finally returning “home.”
With that, they turned their steps toward the Magic Tower, preparing themselves to inform the other mages about their “master’s death,” as they had rehearsed beforehand.
“Double-check the area—make sure we haven’t left behind any spoils of war.”
“Wounded soldiers, come this way! Let me check your injuries once more before we set out.”
After several days of feasting and rest, I and my forces finally began preparations for our return.
I assigned a small garrison to secure this location while the rest of us prepared to depart for my domain.
“You’re preparing to withdraw faster than I expected. Honestly, I thought you’d stay a few more days to fully secure the area.”
Mari, standing nearby as she packed her belongings, spoke in a measured tone.
Glancing at her, I responded calmly.
“There’s no need to station a large force on this peninsula for long. It’s naturally defensible and isolated from the outside world. More importantly, the sooner an army is disbanded, the better.”
“Now that our urgent matters are settled, returning as quickly as possible is the best course of action—for the sake of governance.”
“Governance…? Ah… So you concern yourself with that as well.”
“Isn’t it obvious? War, in the end, is sustained by money. A commander ignorant of economics has no right to lead an army.”
The daily consumption of military supplies was no trivial matter.
While professional soldiers like the demon generals could be expected to serve indefinitely, many regular troops had been conscripted from their original livelihoods.
In other words, the longer such individuals were held in service, the more it would disrupt not only household economies but also the broader financial stability of the nation itself.
Having been a fund manager in my past life, I naturally had a keen sensitivity to financial matters.
To me, an army was nothing more than a giant money sink, and the faster I could dissolve it, the better.
And as I spoke, she listened…
The very person who, in the original story, had demonstrated a strong understanding of supply chains and financial management.
The person who had, in a way, shaped me into someone with such economic insight—Mari.
Her expression turned slightly bitter as she slowly nodded in agreement.
“I can’t argue with that. No matter how powerful an army is, it must be fed, clothed, and armed to fight. Without a stable economy to sustain its logistics and supplies, any army will eventually collapse.”
“Exactly. You understand well.”
“In that sense, the demons seem to have a fairly strong economy. The fact that you’ve continued waging war without major logistical issues speaks for itself.”
“Not exactly. To be honest, things on our side aren’t as stable as they seem. We’ve been scraping together funds through various means, but even that will only last so long… especially with certain individuals acting on their own whims.”
“…Certain individuals acting independently?”
A slight pause followed.
Mari’s gaze sharpened slightly, as if considering the implications behind my words.
Mari-sensei’s expression subtly shifted as she processed the underlying meaning in my words.
She took a moment to reflect before speaking, her voice laced with quiet irritation—perhaps even restrained anger.
“But… unfortunately, there are far too many people in this world who don’t understand such things. Just like a certain someone sitting at the highest seat among humans.”
“Funny. We have plenty of those types on our side as well. I’ve tried talking sense into them multiple times, but they show no signs of changing.”
“Is that so? I see… I suppose every side has its share of fools who refuse to acknowledge reality.”
There had always been people—human or demon alike—who ignored reality and made reckless decisions.
History was full of rulers who collapsed their own nations simply because they forgot the true power of money.
Some drowned in luxury and excess. Others waged wars without thinking of the consequences.
If the person Mari was referring to was the same one I had in mind, then that individual was guilty of both.
A thorn in my side even in the original story.
Someone who sat in the highest seat, supposedly an ally, yet constantly made things miserable for the protagonist.
There had been more people who wanted to kill him than the actual final boss, the Great Demon King.
I briefly recalled his infuriating face before quickly erasing the thought from my mind.
Instead, I turned back to Mari-sensei, the mere sight of whom lifted my spirits.
For some reason, there was a faint red tinge to her cheeks.
The subtle change in her expression made my heart stir in a way I hadn’t expected.
But then.
“Kesar-sama!”
A familiar voice called out from the distance.
Antony.
She was rushing toward me, breathing heavily, clearly having run a great distance.
Seeing this, I frowned slightly and asked, “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Yes! It’s… well…”
She hesitated for a moment, glancing toward Mari before continuing.
It was clear that whatever this was, it was important—or, at the very least, something she didn’t want Mari to hear.
“Then let’s step aside for a moment.”
I gestured for Antony to follow me to a more private space.
“Understood, Demon Lord.”
Deciding to heed Antony’s request, I sent Mari-sensei away for now and turned my attention fully to Antony’s report.
But then.
“Is that… true?”
“Yes. Just in case, I went back and confirmed it again just now.”
“Hmm…”
This was turning into a bit of a headache.
If I had to put it into perspective, it was like finally finishing military service, only to get a call ordering me back to base just as I was about to board the bus home.
I couldn’t help but frown at the situation.
“Don’t let the soldiers know yet. Gather the demon generals first.”
“Understood, Kesar-sama!”
With my command given, Antony quickly disappeared, moving with urgency.
As soon as she left, I took a moment to think.
‘Things just got… annoyingly complicated.’