They’re demons!”
“How did those bastards get all the way here… Kuhh…!!!”
The results of squeezing out the traitors.
The information obtained through this.
Soldiers dispatched to vulnerable points across the Empire began to sweep through the central regions without hesitation.
The demons, devouring the surrounding areas except for the well-defended imperial capital.
Unlike the recent defeat where Alexander was forced to push in, this time, they steadily cleaned up the outskirts and advanced step by step.
The demon forces’ flags were slowly rising toward the heart of the Empire.
However, the expressions of the Demon Lords leading them were not bright.
“As expected… should we have pushed toward the capital first, even if it was reckless?”
“No, that would have been a mistake. Even if the Imperial Army is down to its last shell, if we had done that, we would have been hit with a counterattack, and it would’ve made things worse.”
If things continued like this, the victory of the demons was almost certain.
However, despite the victory, they were troubled by one particular fact.
The Emperor.
If the demon forces continued advancing at this speed, the Emperor of the Leaf Empire would likely try to flee at some point.
Mari and Irushil both knew well that the Emperor would not be the type to quietly stay in the capital when defeat seemed inevitable.
So, they were doing everything they could to control or even manipulate information, but this too had its limits.
There was a chance that, at this very moment, the Emperor was already preparing to escape.
“We must catch the Emperor somehow. To firmly take control of this country, we must hold the head of the Empire.”
“And if the Emperor tries to rally the free races, things will only get more complicated. We need to act before he escapes.”
“Hmm… but how…”
They were struggling with the issue in various ways.
At that moment…
Kesar, who had been deep in thought, cautiously spoke up.
“…There is one… way.”
“What?”
“What is it?”
Mari and Charlemagne’s faces showed confusion.
Kesar looked at them and calmly began to explain his plan.
‘Luckily, I got something while removing the seed of the final boss of season 3… if we use this…’
“What… What did you say?”
The general in front of them, kneeling down.
His body was barely holding on, reduced to rags, as he reported.
The Emperor, his voice trembling, urged him once again.
“Say… say it again. What… what did you say just now?”
“We were annihilated… we… we lost, Your Majesty.”
“Wh… What do you mean? You lost again?”
Since the troops set out, the Emperor had been waiting for a victory report.
The newly appointed hero’s abilities weren’t bad, and above all, hadn’t it been said that the ‘Holy Sword’ he carried was extraordinary?
Moreover, the remaining elite soldiers of the Empire had been poured into this battle, so victory was a must.
It was necessary for the newly appointed hero’s name to be praised, and more importantly, to turn around the atmosphere that had sunk due to consecutive defeats.
However…
In this critical battle, the Imperial Army had been defeated.
And it was a thorough defeat.
“The hero was killed… and the Holy Sword was taken. Furthermore… only a few thousand soldiers barely managed to return.”
The general, with a face filled with despair, reported.
Such grim news filled the Emperor and the ministers in the great hall with intense fear.
“Your… Your Majesty… What should we do now?”
“Your Majesty…”
Click.
The Emperor felt as though the very ground he was standing on was crumbling beneath him, and his body began to tremble.
There had been many dangers before, but this crisis was far more severe than any the Emperor had faced in the past.
More serious than when he first seized the throne, or when he purged to stabilize the state.
‘What should I do… what… what should I do?’
A situation where the future was completely unclear.
Now that the main forces had been annihilated, if the demons reached the capital, it would be the end for the Emperor and his ministers.
At least the common people might have a chance to survive, but these demons weren’t the type to spare the lords of occupied territories.
There was no reason for the demons to spare their leaders or ministers.
‘Escape…? Hmm… Is that the only option left?’
In a situation where there were no forces left to face them head-on, it was clear that the best option now was to prioritize escaping.
After collecting all the imperial treasury, the Emperor would have to retreat to the southern outskirts of the Empire…
No, if necessary, he should seek refuge in the Elven Kingdom located there.
‘No matter what, if I die, this Empire is finished. I need to ensure my own safety first… for the sake of this country.’
After quickly justifying his own actions, the Emperor began to plan step by step in his mind.
Naturally, broadcasting this situation on a large scale would be foolish.
First, he would secretly select only those trustworthy ministers, and have them carry out the plan.
After loading the vast wealth onto carts and leading his family, if they quietly left the capital…
“Your Majesty!”
At that moment, a sudden voice echoed.
The minister rushing into the great hall had an oddly bright expression on his face.
“What is it?”
“Rejoice, Your Majesty! The envoys from the Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs have arrived!”
“What… what did you say? Envoys?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
A sudden piece of good news.
The Emperor, who had been contemplating his escape, had to momentarily put aside his plans.
“Quickly, bring them inside. I will personally welcome them!”
Following the Emperor’s orders, the envoys entered.
The envoys from the Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs, each leading a delegation of about 30 people, a total of around 90 individuals, entered the imperial palace.
Considering the number of envoys, this was quite a large group, but from the Emperor’s perspective, with fire burning at his feet, there was no time to scrutinize it.
“We greet the Emperor of the Leaf Empire.”
“We… we greet the Emperor…”
“We greet the Emperor.”
The envoys lowered their heads and offered their respects.
With a deep smile, the Emperor, filled with joy, welcomed the distinguished guests from afar.
“You’ve had a long journey. So, how did our request fare? The plea to send reinforcements against those demon forces?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. His Holiness, the Pope of the Elves, declared that he can no longer stand idly by while the demons rampage. He has announced that he will mobilize troops to strike them.”
“Ohhh…”
“The Pope…”
The Elven man, who seemed incredibly arrogant by nature, displayed a surprisingly respectful attitude.
Following him, the envoys of the other two races also cautiously spoke up.
“U-uh… We Dwarves have also decided to send reinforcements… Ah, I mean… it’s already been arranged. A force of 10,000 soldiers is ready.”
“The Orcs, too, have decided to send reinforcements. Please wait just a little longer.”
The female Dwarf spoke with a somewhat stammering tone, while the Orc warrior, dressed in civilian clothes, spoke with a strangely confident air.
Though their manners were far from formal and gave off contrasting impressions, the Emperor smiled even more broadly at their promise of reinforcements.
“I am truly grateful! To offer your help without forgetting our bonds during such a difficult time… The Leaf Empire and I will never forget this favor.”
“We are honored, Your Majesty.”
With the envoys’ declaration confirming the reinforcements, the Emperor’s thoughts of fleeing were replaced by the realization that he needed to fight in the capital.
Originally, the capital boasted the strongest defenses in the Empire.
And now that the decision to fight had been made, the Emperor knew that he had to hold the capital firmly to ensure that the lords of other regions would send their soldiers.
Moreover, to reduce the political burden after the demon forces were repelled with the aid of reinforcements, the capital had to be defended at all costs.
With newfound hope, the Emperor resolved to fight to the best of his abilities.
Feeling completely different from just a moment ago when he had considered escape,
the Emperor looked at the ministers gathered in the great hall and spoke.
“Have you all heard? The nations of the Free Races have decided to unite and join this war. With their noble will, I will fight the demons to the end. I will defend this land… I will defend the capital to the last. You all must roll up your sleeves and prepare for battle.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“We will obey your command!”
The ministers, who, like the Emperor, now held hope for victory, began to show their zeal for battle, and the once disorganized Leaf Empire began preparing for war again.
While urging the lords who had yet to respond to the summons, the Emperor ordered all citizens, regardless of age or gender, to take up arms.
With their resolve strengthened, the Emperor, while waiting for the reinforcements to arrive, contacted the envoys who had stayed in the capital and inquired about the situation, rallying their spirits together.
“Since ancient times, the Free Races have lived as brothers. While there may have been small disputes, in the end, we always relied on each other to fight against evil.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Mm… Yes.”
The envoys nodded with smiles on their faces.
With news from outside that the reinforcements had begun to move, the Emperor’s favor toward them grew deeper.
“Thus, brothers, we have carved victory together. We led the great war against the demons to victory, establishing peace and order in this world. And now, we will join hands again, sweeping away all those filthy demons…”
Boom!
The earth shook, and a thunderous sound rang in the Emperor’s ears.
Startled by the noise, the Emperor hurried toward the palace balcony.
What he saw was…
A massive demon army.
There were easily tens of thousands of them, lined up around the capital, surrounding it.
And at the front of the army, even from this distance, the Emperor could clearly see someone, as though they had used magic to make themselves visible.
“…Hm?”
The moment the Emperor saw that person’s face, his face stiffened in shock.
Then, a sharp voice reached his ears, amplified by magic.
That person…
No, that demon woman, shouted with intense fury.
“Emperor! Your sister has returned! I will destroy the Leaf Empire!”