Four days later, the Demon King’s Army prepared to move out.
Their destination: the Slave Autonomous District.
Grom and Henry had collaborated to draft a concrete invasion plan. I had given it a cursory review, but found no points of concern.
I intended to remain behind in the Royal Capital, however. I had an ominous premonition regarding the Former Demon Territory and wanted to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. As for the Slave Autonomous District, I was confident there would be no issues as long as I left things to those two.
I had instructed the army to begin by invading the districts directly adjacent to our borders. Our objective for this campaign was to seize ten percent of the total territory. Grom and Henry would lead the charge.
The Autonomous District was not a unified state. Instead, local warlords ruled their respective territories as independent turfs. It was essentially a collection of small nations huddled together. Because of this structure, the usual tactic of striking a single capital city wouldn't work.
Therefore, the primary goal of this attack was to suppress the district's ongoing tyranny. I needed the people living there to realize they were not bystanders in this war. I would make them recognize that the Demon King was the Enemy of All Humanity. That alone would be impact enough.
That being said, the Autonomous District played a significant role on a global scale. Specifically, it served as a permanent source of human resources for various nations. The district generated profit by selling its slaves to other countries.
Up until now, I had carried out massacres and seized territories across the continent. Because of the damage I had dealt, many nations were frequently on the verge of collapse. The Autonomous District was what kept them afloat. As long as a country could pay, the district could provide a nearly inexhaustible supply of slaves. They had established a foundation that made such a feat possible.
Certainly, the district was an ethical nightmare. If judged on a scale of good and evil, it undoubtedly belonged to the latter. It was not a place I wished to validate; in fact, I would have preferred to be the one to dismantle it entirely.
However, the Autonomous District was necessary for the world’s future. The Demon King could neither destroy it nor rule it completely. Ideally, I would have liked to collapse the district and ensure that slavery vanished from the world. In reality, such a feat was impossible.
The world would fall apart on mere idealism. I understood that well. Therefore, I chose to tolerate certain evils as long as they did not infringe upon my non-negotiable goals. This was the path I had walked ever since I became the immortal Demon King. I had to continue making the choices that were closest to "best." If I allowed myself to be driven by excessive hypocrisy or hatred, I would eventually invite ruin.
"Then, Lord Demon King. We shall take our leave."
Grom saluted me. Every angle of his posture was as perfect as a textbook illustration. The flames in his eye sockets flickered with motivation.
I nodded at his enthusiasm. "Go safely. Above all else, do not neglect your caution."
"I hear ya, I hear ya. We’ll have the place occupied in no time. Just sit back, have some tea, and wait for us, General."
Henry slapped my back with a laugh. His face was a faint shade of red. The subordinate monsters standing nearby wore slightly awkward expressions.
(…By any chance, was he at a tavern until right before this?)
With Henry, it was entirely possible. He was always carefree. I wondered if it was a side effect of being too accustomed to the battlefield, or if it made his history of military service suspect.
However, there was no need to actually caution him. I knew Henry’s personality and his true strength. He was more at home in battle than anyone else. He was a man who viewed combat as his daily life and his ultimate purpose. Even if he were drunk, Henry would never let his guard down for a second. He was the type of man who could hum a tune while dodging an arrow fired from a blind spot, only to immediately snipe the attacker back with his own bow.
"Archer. Watch your intake. Excessive drinking is poison to the body."
"Of course, of course. It’s right before a war, after all. I’m holding back plenty."
Henry replied to Grom’s grievance with a flushed face. Grom didn’t pursue the matter further, knowing it was futile.
These two had worked together for a long time now—over a year. They understood each other’s temperaments well. Both had supported the Demon King’s Army since its early days and had delivered massive results, primarily within the military branch. According to my spies, their names were becoming known in foreign lands.
Henry had been famous to begin with, but he was now regarded as the Demon King’s Army’s Greatest Archer. Some countries had even begun researching specific countermeasures against his sniping. They desperately wanted to break the current cycle of having their commanders picked off one by one on the battlefield. I hadn't heard of any such efforts succeeding, however.
Henry’s skill was extraordinary. Even the Elves, masters of the bow, held him in high regard. I expected he would put on another display of peerless archery this time as well.
Afterward, I delivered a speech to the assembled troops to rouse their morale. Once the air was thick with fervor, I teleported the army away.
Their destination was the Northernmost Tip of the Demon King’s Domain—directly in front of the Slave Autonomous District. They would launch a surprise invasion from there. By tomorrow, a city or two should have already fallen.
I turned to head back into the castle, but my sleeve was suddenly tugged. I looked down to find Yura.
"Presenting a question to Master. Why am I on standby? According to self-analysis, I already possess combat capabilities above the standard level."
She voiced her dissatisfaction in her usual flat, mechanical tone. I had ordered Yura to remain behind this time, and she clearly wasn't convinced.
As she claimed, her combat ability was beyond reproach. If she utilized a Dedicated Machine Golem from the Research Institute, she could exert the power of a thousand-man army. Even within the ranks of the Demon King's Army, individuals who could rival Yura were rare.
However, strength alone wasn't enough. A war against the world wasn't just about who hit harder; it required nuanced maneuvering based on various conflicting interests. In that regard, Yura was still poor at holding back and lacked flexibility. It was a skill she needed to learn in the future.
I summarized these points and explained them to her. Yura fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Understanding the assigned task. Hereafter, I shall strive for improvement."
"Good. I’m looking forward to it," I told her.
If it was her, I was sure she would overcome this hurdle soon. The executives of the army all looked out for her, and she was growing steadily under their influence. I felt a sense of anticipation for what she would become.
Accompanied by Yura, who was quietly fired up, I teleported back inside the castle.