The Demon Nation, Yuramoneum.
A country founded in the lands of the Middle Realm by demons who had torn through dimensions to arrive here.
To outsiders, it was known simply as the Demon Kingdom, but internally, it was ruled by the Four Great Demon Lords, the most powerful of all demons.
And above them all sat the Great Demon King, the supreme ruler of all demons.
The Four Demon Lords governed their respective territories, which had been divided into four major regions, with the Great Demon King ruling his own central dominion.
Each Demon Lord wielded immense power and commanded vast armies, ruling over their lands like sovereign monarchs.
However.
Despite their authority, they were all bound by one absolute rule.
They must obey the Great Demon King’s command.
And now, at this very moment.
A matter related to that very authority had been placed before me.
A direct order from the Great Demon King himself.
A command, sealed with a dark crimson insignia—one that left no doubt in my mind that it had come straight from the highest ruler of demonkind.
No demon, no matter how powerful, could defy this decree.
Yet, as I read through its contents, my brows instinctively furrowed.
“Hmm…”
“W-why? What’s wrong, Demon Lord?”
Mari cautiously asked, sensing my reaction.
With a heavy sigh, I finished scanning the document and handed it to her.
The Great Demon King’s order was as follows.
Kesar, I commend you for your victory in seizing Mevis Harbor.
Because of my trust in you, I now grant you another task.
Soon, a fleet belonging to the Free Races will appear in the waters off Mevis Harbor.
According to intelligence obtained by the Northern Demon Lord, Adolf, this is no ordinary fleet—it is a transport convoy carrying military supplies for the Leaf Empire.
“Resupply is meant to be taken from the enemy.”
Intercept the fleet and seize their military supplies.
I look forward to your success.
Great Demon King, Kaya.
In simple terms, it was a direct order to cut off the enemy’s sea supply lines.
And upon reading it, Mari’s expression said it all.
“Demon Lord, you really live a difficult life.”
“Hah… well, that’s life for you.”
I couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle, nodding in agreement.
Just as we were about to conclude the war and head home, the Great Demon King had issued yet another command for us to fight.
It was worse than getting a call from your boss right at the end of your shift, telling you to stay late.
“Sending troops straight back into battle without rest… even slaves are given breaks after work. This is just…”
“And the worst part? That’s not even the biggest problem.”
All other issues aside, there was an even more immediate problem:
We had no ships left in Mevis Harbor.
Intercepting an enemy fleet without naval power was no simple task.
Of course, demons could use flight magic, which technically made it possible. But attacking in midair would result in heavy casualties, an option I wanted to avoid.
And then, there was the even bigger problem.
Our supplies were already dangerously low.
We were barely holding on as it was, approaching the limit of our offensive capabilities—and yet, now we were being ordered into another battle.
Being ordered to engage in naval warfare without any ships was pure madness—something that anyone familiar with the situation would never suggest.
‘I can already guess which bastard was behind this ridiculous order…’
It was practically a trap disguised as a command.
But it wasn’t just anyone issuing the order—it came directly from the Great Demon King.
And for a demon, to refuse a royal decree was treason.
Sure, I could try filing a formal objection, but with so little time, that wasn’t a realistic option.
‘I’ve dealt with unreasonable orders before, but this one is just on another level…’
Suppressing my growing frustration, I gathered the demon generals as ordered and explained the situation.
“Another battle…?”
“Sigh… and here I thought we’d finally get some rest back home…”
After reading the command, the generals all wore expressions of exhaustion and frustration.
While some of them were naturally war-hungry and enjoyed battle, even they weren’t thrilled about fighting again immediately after such a large-scale campaign.
“Ugh… The soldiers were already looking forward to returning home. If we throw them into another reckless fight now, morale will plummet…”
“This is insane! Are they expecting us to just drown in the ocean?! This is basically a suicide mission!”
Poltuga mumbled anxiously, pointing out yet another major problem.
Meanwhile, Antony had reached the point of openly venting her fury at the absurdity of it all.
Just moments ago, the high command was basking in the afterglow of victory, morale soaring.
Now, the Great Demon King’s reckless decree had shattered that confidence in an instant, dragging the entire leadership into a pit of uncertainty and despair.
It was almost impressive—the sheer destructive force of that damn decree.
Faced with an order that was not just difficult but borderline impossible, the demon generals could do nothing but stew in frustration, unable to come up with a viable solution.
And then.
“Ugh… unlucky as always…”
Muttering her usual lament, Poltuga glanced around—
And her eyes landed on someone.
The one person who had remained silent throughout the discussion, staring intently at the map.
The human witch. Mari.
Since the banquet, Poltuga had grown a little friendlier with her, if only slightly.
And so, a small thought crossed her mind.
With cautious hesitation, she spoke up.
“Uh… hey, human? You wouldn’t happen to have a good idea, would you? We got a pretty decent outcome last time thanks to you, after all.”
It was true.
The only reason they had taken Mevis Harbor with minimal losses was largely because of Mari’s strategic contributions.
Poltuga still didn’t fully trust her, but given that no one else had an answer, she couldn’t help but grasp at straws.
And then.
“A method… does exist.”
“Huh? You have one?”
“Yes, but… unlike last time, I can’t guarantee success. It will require a great deal of luck.”
“S-still, let’s hear it. Floundering in misfortune until we die like idiots sounds worse. Right? Don’t you all agree?”
“Hmm…”
“Well… she did help us last time, so…”
“Tch…”
Some were skeptical, others reluctantly nodded.
But one thing was certain—Mari had their attention.
The demon generals grumbled at Poltuga’s suggestion, but none of them outright rejected it.
No matter what, Mari had proven herself with results, and even if only slightly, she had earned a sliver of credibility among them.
And then, Kesar sealed the deal.
“Speak. We will listen to what you have to say.”
At his words, Mari—though uncertain of the outcome—began explaining the best possible strategy she could come up with.
And that plan was…
“Tch… this just got annoying.”
The vast Okéanos Sea, stretching across the heart of the continent.
There, leading a fleet of twenty Imperial ships, was Admiral James Cook.
A deep scowl darkened his face, frustration plain in his expression.
The cause of his irritation?
A recently received report.
One of the Empire’s key strategic points, Mevis Harbor, had fallen to the demons.
For someone like Admiral Cook, who was responsible for overseeing large-scale military supply transport, this news was a major disaster.
Mevis Harbor had always served as a critical waypoint for the northern front.
Until now, the standard procedure was to stop there for freshwater resupply and allow the fleet to rest before continuing the journey.
But now, with the port under enemy control, that was no longer an option.
And even worse.
There was now the very real possibility that the fleet could be ambushed near Mevis Harbor.
For Cook, who was in charge of this critical supply operation, this was a nightmare scenario.
‘We need to retake Mevis Harbor, no matter what…’
‘Perhaps if I inform Marquis Petra about the situation, he might have a solution…’
Feeling uneasy and frustrated, Admiral Cook decided that once this mission was complete, he would begin taking action to resolve this problem once and for all.
At that moment.
“Admiral!”
“What is it? Are we under attack by demons?”
A lieutenant called out urgently, his voice filled with urgency.
Sensing that something serious had happened, Admiral Cook furrowed his brows in concern and asked.
However.
“No, sir… it’s not that. But… please take a look at this first. There are people urgently requesting to speak with you.”
With that, the lieutenant handed him a communication crystal.
The unstable magic waves made the image flicker slightly, but even through the distortion, Cook could see the faces of the people on the other end.
They were in terrible condition.
Ragged, exhausted, and worn down—their uniforms, though tattered, were unmistakably that of Imperial soldiers.
“I am Admiral James Cook, commander of the 7th Imperial Fleet. Identify yourselves.”
There was a trace of familiarity in his tone—after all, they were fellow soldiers of the Empire.
But also, a deep sense of confusion.
Who were these men?
Why were they in such a state?
At his question, the soldiers in the crystal responded, their voices filled with desperation.
“W-we are soldiers who served under General Iskal! We are currently stranded near Mevis Harbor, hiding from the demons!”
“Admiral, please… you must help us!”