I considered the Acting Chief’s words in silence for a while. Then, I replied flatly.
"Tell me everything. My answer will depend on the details."
"Yes, I understand..."
Nodding, the Acting Chief began to explain the situation in depth.
According to her account, the trouble had begun about ten days ago. A human army had suddenly appeared at the forest, demanding a supply of timber. Naturally, the elven tribe refused. The resources within the Forest of the World Tree were not things to be handed over lightly; by ancient custom, it was the duty of the elves to protect them at all costs.
Having been denied the timber, the Human Army withdrew quietly for the time being. However, they returned a few days later with far more aggression. They trespassed into the Forest of the World Tree and began felling trees without permission. Infuriated, the elves immediately launched a counterattack.
But the military strength of the Human Army was overwhelming, and the elves proved no match for them. Even with the advantage of their home terrain, they could not overcome a numerical disparity of dozens to one. Elves were being kidnapped one after another, and parts of the forest had even been set ablaze.
"Recognizing the gravity of our situation, we convened an emergency council. A resolution through dialogue was no longer possible. Everyone proposed plans to repel the Human Race's army. Among those ideas..."
"The plan to seek aid from the current Demon King was proposed, I take it."
"...Yes. There were those who opposed it, but I managed to push the proposal through. We had no other effective means left to us."
The Acting Chief spoke with a look of bitter frustration. Judging by her phrasing, she was likely the one who had suggested utilizing the Demon King’s power. Naturally, it seemed there had been those who stood against the idea.
"By the way, which country is behind this invasion?"
"The Empire. I saw the crest on their banners; there is no mistake."
The Acting Chief answered with a voice thick with hatred. Her tone alone conveyed the depth of her feelings. She likely harbored a degree of resentment beyond my measurement.
The Empire was a nation adjacent to the Forest of the World Tree. It was a powerhouse that had bloated by swallowing up the surrounding small nations. In the sense that it had grown strong through constant warfare, its history was not unlike that of the current Demon King’s Domain.
In the Empire, Human Supremacy was the law of the land. Demi-human races were belittled and bought and sold as slaves. While slavery existed in other countries, it was particularly prominent in the Empire. Their treatment of others was abysmal, and even those demi-humans who were not enslaved faced constant discrimination. Compared to neighboring nations, those prejudices remained deeply entrenched, causing significant friction with the rest of the world.
(Why is the Empire so intent on logging the trees?)
They had gone out of their way to target the Forest of the World Tree. It was unlikely that their objective was merely lumber; they could have secured plenty of timber from within their own vast borders. If that was the case, there was only one possibility.
The blessings of the Forest of the World Tree.
The trees of that land were imbued with Spirit Power and possessed a potent Holy Power. This was a quality that no other wood could replicate. They were of high scarcity; I remembered them being auctioned for exorbitant prices on the black market.
The real question was why the Empire desired Holy Power at this specific time. It was hard to believe they were simply looking for a way to raise funds. They were attempting to occupy the forest because they had a specific use for it.
(—A countermeasure against the Demon King?)
Though I considered various hypotheses, I could only arrive at one conclusion. This was the Empire, a nation that had risen to power on the back of conquest. They likely intended to invade the Demon King’s Domain after perfecting their defenses against the Undead. A country like that wouldn't hesitate to plan for the total seizure of my territory.
If that were their only scheme, it would be one thing. But the Empire had long plotted to claim the Forest of the World Tree. In addition to resources, the acquisition of elven labor was surely one of their goals. Ordinarily, such a move would have drawn condemnation from neighboring countries and turned the demi-human races against them. No matter how powerful the Empire was, they preferred to avoid creating enemies on multiple fronts.
That was why they had previously refrained from large-scale action. But now, the situation had changed. Under the noble pretext of Demon King Subjugation, they could openly request cooperation—or rather, carry out invasions without consequence.
The Empire’s goal was likely to seize both the Demon King’s Domain and the Forest of the World Tree. If my intuition was correct, it was an incredibly greedy ambition. However, it was entirely plausible; the history the Empire had written as an expansionist nation spoke for itself.
Most of this was mere conjecture on my part, but I was likely close to the truth. It would be easy enough to confirm once I had my spies investigate. Regardless, there was no doubt that this was a turbulent development.
The idea was for humanity to join hands across nations and races to kill the Demon King, thereby creating a pseudo-peace. The Empire’s movements trampled all over that ideal. They were thinking only of their own interests. If they truly intended to cooperate, they would have formally proposed an alliance. Instead, they had bypassed that process to invade the forest. It was a method that did not align with the world peace I sought to build. It was clear that something had to be done.
"There were rumors that the current Demon King particularly hated the Human Race. If those rumors were true, I believed you would surely save the elves, as we are demi-humans."
The Acting Chief spoke while carefully watching my reaction. It was a bit surprising to hear that such rumors were circulating. It was true that the Demon King’s Army had only slaughtered humans thus far and had not attacked demi-humans, but the elves had clearly interpreted that in an overly positive light.
"I am well aware that it is unreasonable to cling to you, the Demon King. But please, I beg of you, save our people..."
The Acting Chief prostrated herself deeply. A beat later, the other elves followed suit, bowing their heads in unison. They were driven to the absolute limit. That was why they were pleading for aid from a monster like the Demon King, who had destroyed an entire kingdom. They were willing to risk being killed if it meant saving their tribe.
Standing before them, I spoke without a trace of emotion.
"I refuse. The Demon King’s Army will not save the elven race. Until now, I have only conquered humans for the sake of convenience. I have no intention whatsoever of showing favoritism toward demi-humans."
This was the truth of my heart, unvarnished. If I sided with the elves now, the impression that the current Demon King was a champion for demi-humans would spread. That would risk escalating the conflict into a race war between humans and demi-humans. The struggle would intensify between the two factions, and the world would become something far removed from my ideal.
If I were still the man I was when I was alive, I would have lent a hand immediately. I would have done everything in my power for them. Surely, that person would have done the same.
But I was currently the Demon King. The Demon King must be an enemy to all. If I favored any one side, the raison d'être I had built for myself would crumble. I cannot be a "savior" Demon King. I reign only as a Demon King who kills.
"Th-That's..."
The Acting Chief looked up, her face a mask of despair. An air of resignation began to drift among the elves behind her. Some even glared at me with newfound hostility born of spite. It seemed they hadn't expected to be rejected so bluntly.
Watching their predictable reactions, I continued.
"However, there is one path left for you to avoid being trampled by the Empire."
"W-What is it...?! We will do anything to ensure our tribe survives!"
The Acting Chief desperately grabbed at the opportunity. These weren't just empty words; I could see the resolve in her eyes. She was a woman who would discard her life without hesitation for the sake of her people. She was an exceptional leader. With someone of her caliber, I could present the choice.
I looked down at her and delivered my ultimatum.
"—Subservience. Accept the Demon King’s rule. If you do, I shall repel the Empire’s invasion."