After securing their initial victory at the canal, the Demon King's Army continued its relentless advance.
Crossing the border, they finally set foot within the Small Nation's Territory.
Unleashing a wave of tyranny, they shattered every defense network and town in their path.
As the fallen were raised as undead to join the ranks, the scale of the army expanded at an explosive rate.
The Small Nation's Army was being systematically massacred, helpless against the overwhelming disparity in numbers.
They attempted the occasional counterattack with Holy Magic, but the damage inflicted was infinitesimal at best.
Our forces consisted of more than just the undead; we had monsters among us as well.
The effects of Holy Magic were weak against them.
Having tasted a string of victories, the monsters used their might to trample the enemy soldiers underfoot.
With irresistible force, they marched toward the capital of the Small Nation.
I, meanwhile, remained inside the Bone Carriage.
It was a vehicle constructed from the assembled remains of several hundred skeletons.
Pulled by Ghoul Horses, it proceeded slowly at the very rear of the Demon King's Army.
Both the carriage and its steeds were the result of applying the techniques of Undead Manipulation.
I had learned how to create them while experimenting with the various powers of my Authority.
Personally, I would have been fine traveling on foot, but Luciana had insisted that this was more fitting for a Demon King.
The Bone Carriage was certainly conspicuous.
For the sake of my future plans, it was important to grandly assert my existence to the world.
After some back-and-forth, we had settled on this method of travel.
"This is going so well it’s almost laughable. I wonder if there aren't any humans actually worth fighting."
Sitting beside me, Luciana let out a bored sigh.
Though she had participated in the initial battles, she had grown tired of it midway through and had been in this state ever since.
I could understand the sentiment.
The Small Nation had taken what measures it could.
However, the power of our forces was simply too immense.
It seemed they had intended to invade my captured Royal Capital, but their military strength was so meager that I couldn't imagine them ever succeeding.
As I suspected, they had likely been instigated by another country or coerced into the invasion.
I would have to uncover the truth.
Once we reached the Royal Castle, I should be able to find documents that would serve as evidence.
I intended to hand out appropriate punishment to the nations that had spun these unnecessary schemes.
However, I would not destroy them.
I would merely plunge them into distress through moderate damage, orchestrating events so that the various nations would be forced to cooperate with one another.
"I will dismantle the Small Nation with due diligence. It is for the best that no unforeseen circumstances occur."
At my words, Luciana made a dissatisfied face.
She swung her legs back and forth idly.
"Ehh, that’s so boring. Even if it's small, it's still a country, so shouldn't there be at least a few strong humans?"
I shook my head, dismissing her suggestion.
"There are capable individuals, but those who can do anything against this army are likely rare. It would take..."
"It would be impossible unless it were the former Hero or Sage. That's what you were going to say, right?"
"............"
I fell silent.
I couldn't find the words to respond.
I had let my tongue slip slightly, but it was largely as Luciana said.
Individuals capable of facing an army of monsters are nothing more than a mere handful.
Although we had engaged in numerous battles within the Kingdom, I had yet to see such a person.
Even back when I was human, there were only a few I could count.
Even after ten years, heroes are not born so easily.
"At any rate, we will continue to crush and occupy the Small Nation as planned. Carry out your duties seriously."
"Understood. Don't worry, I'm a woman who delivers when it counts."
Luciana made a show of flexing her muscles.
Though her penchant for joking was prominent, her strength as a former member of the Four Heavenly Kings remained intact.
Capable of wielding various magics and maintaining her composure even in the heat of battle, she was an exceptional talent who moved with absolute precision.
Her ability to survive for ten years alongside her subordinates without a Demon King was no fluke.
After another half-day of travel, the city’s outer walls finally appeared in the distance.
It was the Capital of the Small Nation.
There were no enemy troops on the road leading to the gates.
It didn't feel like they were hiding, either.
It seemed they intended to force a siege by utilizing the outer walls.
Fearing that their military strength would be depleted by a failed interception, they had chosen the Capital as the site for their final stand.
(A resolute decision, but their thinking is far too naive.)
With my magic, I could pulverize the outer walls in a single blow to facilitate our entry.
Even if they had deployed defensive magic, I could easily penetrate it.
It appeared the Small Nation had finally run out of moves.
Sensing this, I turned to Luciana.
"I am going to contact Grom regarding our progress. I will return shortly."
"Yes, yes. Have a safe trip!"
Luciana waved me off.
I concentrated my consciousness.
With a momentary sensation of weightlessness, the scenery before my eyes shifted.
I found myself standing in an orderly room.
This was inside the castle of the Royal Capital.
I had transferred my consciousness into one of the undead I controlled.
As a result of my training, I had become able to perform this transfer even if the host body wasn't destroyed.
As long as the target was an undead under my control, it was possible regardless of the distance.
The advantage was that it consumed far less energy compared to Teleportation Magic.
I had been practicing in secret recently to ensure I could exercise this power smoothly.
"...Hmm."
The body I had inhabited was that of a Ghoul.
As I checked the condition of my new form, the flesh and blood began to evaporate into Miasma.
The exposed bones transformed into a deep black, and in an instant, I had taken on my usual appearance.
The same phenomenon had occurred when I tested this before.
No matter the type of undead, it was forcibly reshaped into a Black Skeleton.
It seemed my existence was fixed in this form.
At present, it caused no real trouble, but it was a point of slight concern.
I might need to practice adjusting it so I could fix my appearance to something else.
I used Teleportation Magic to move to the Audience Chamber.
I had sensed Grom's presence there.
"Hum-hum-hum, hum-humm."
A carefree humming reached my ears.
Grom was hunched over, preoccupied with some task.
Peeking over his shoulder, I saw him earnestly polishing the Throne.
Judging by the tune of his humming, he was in an exceptionally good mood.
He seemed so carried away that he hadn't even noticed my arrival.
"Grom."
"Wh-Wha—!?"
When I spoke, Grom’s shoulders jumped nearly out of his skin.
He spun around and snapped into a posture of standing at attention.
As far as reflexive actions went, it was a perfect score.
Grom spoke to me, his voice trembling with blatant flusteredness.
"M-My Demon King! Why are you here!?"
"I came to report on our progress."
"Th-That is a blessing beyond words! And so, what is the current situation?"
Ignoring his throne-polishing for the moment, I briefed him on the campaign.
That said, there wasn't much to tell.
Only that the Demon King's Army had repeatedly trampled the Small Nation’s forces as they advanced, and that we would soon arrive at the Capital.
Hearing this, Grom breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hmm, hmm, a natural result, to be sure. There is no way mere humans could stand against the army of my Demon King. This one also predicted it would turn out thus."
"I will likely return tomorrow. I ask that you continue to guard the Royal Capital."
"Yes, please leave it to me. Let us raise a celebratory toast upon your return!"
Glancing sideways at the joyful Grom, I concentrated once more.
Then, I returned my consciousness to the body waiting in the Bone Carriage.
I stood high in the sky.
It was a vantage point from which I could overlook the entire Capital of the Small Nation.
Because I had destroyed the main gate, the Demon King's Army had poured into the city without being delayed for a second.
The battle was now reaching its final stages; more than half of the soldiers had already been converted into undead.
Even without my intervention, the outcome was already decided.
"Demon King-sama!"
As I watched the tragedy below, Luciana flew up to join me.
She performed a playful somersault in the air before stopping by my side.
"What is the status of the battle?"
"The Demon King's Army has seized most of the Capital. But there's one little problem..."
Luciana scratched her cheek, offering a wry smile.
It was an uncharacteristically hesitant way for her to speak.
I had a bad feeling about this.
"What is happening?"
"It seems the prisoners in the Prison are resisting, and the undead are being taken down one after another. It looks like we'll need reinforcements for that spot specifically."
It was a surprising report.
I hadn't expected any losses significant enough to require reinforcements.
And from prisoners in a jail, no less.
I had expected a struggle at some point, but I had assumed it would be at the castle, where the defenses would be most rigorous.
"It seems they have some high-spirited humans after all. So, what is the scale of the opposition?"
When I asked, Luciana hesitated.
She seemed to find it difficult to say.
After a short pause, she whispered the answer.
"...One person."
"What?"
"A single prisoner is holding their own against the Demon King's Army—actually, they're winning. It's just a hunch, but I think they're a powerhouse who rivals a Hero."