A constant stream of administrative subordinates flowed in and out of the Audience Chamber.
Each visit brought a fresh wave of reports. A deluge of information also poured in via Telepathy, requiring my constant attention. I sorted through the data, making quick judgments and issuing orders to my territories as I went.
Reports were strewn everywhere. In several spots, the sheer volume had surpassed my capacity to process them, resulting in literal collapses of paperwork. I couldn't even spare the time to relocate them, so I simply left the documents where they fell. Though I prioritized the most pressing issues, clearing the entire backlog today would be impossible.
(As usual, there is no warning...)
Facing my desk, I grumbled inwardly.
Six months had passed since the Mass Death of the Saviors. The world, which had finally begun to settle into a new status quo, had suddenly been upended.
It began on the frontier of another continent. Without warning, an unknown force had begun trampling over the Demon King's Army. This "someone" caused immense damage in a remarkably short period before vanishing without a trace.
My immediate investigation yielded nothing. Not a single clue—not even a defining characteristic—could be pinned on our assailant.
Three days later, a similar incident occurred. Once again, a stationed detachment of the Demon King's Army suffered acts of destruction, resulting in a significant number of casualties. Five days after that, consecutive slaughters occurred within the span of a single afternoon.
Since then, attacks against the Demon King's Army have repeated across various regions. The identity of our opponent remains a total mystery. No matter how much we analyze the location or frequency of these strikes, no pattern emerges. They are elusive to a point that is almost impressive.
These massacres are occurring indiscriminately across the globe. Often, they happen in such quick succession across physically impossible distances that the logistics suggest either a conspiracy of multiple actors or a single entity with an exceptional Teleportation Ability.
While this is a valuable deduction, it remains too vague to narrow down a specific identity. What is certain, however, is that the opponent is concentrating their attacks solely on the Demon King's Army. Every fortification we raise is breached with mocking ease.
I personally interviewed the survivors, but strangely, none had witnessed the opponent's appearance. They claimed to know nothing other than the fact that the Demon King's Army had been slaughtered by a "mysterious destruction phenomenon."
The crisis has already begun to affect international relations. When the various nations learned that someone was systematically defeating the Demon King's Army, the public began to stir. Rumors are spreading like wildfire—claims that the pretenders have finally been weeded out and that a True Savior has appeared at last.
As if responding to those desperate expectations, the mysterious figure has only increased the frequency of their activities.
The Demon King's Army is desperately attempting to counter the threat, but we have made no significant progress. Reports pleading for reinforcements or detailing new damage arrive daily. Because I have been utilizing Space Magic to evacuate my forces the moment trouble starts, the casualties have not yet reached catastrophic levels. Nevertheless, it remains a critical problem.
As I waded through the mountain of reports, Luciana entered the room carrying another stack of documents. She looked at me with an exasperated expression.
"Demon King-sama, more appearance information... wow, this place is a disaster. Don't you think you should tidy up a bit?"
"I have organized it several times since this morning. This is the result despite my efforts."
"Well, considering the sheer volume of reports, I suppose that’s fair. It looks like grueling work."
Luciana set the documents down in a small gap on my desk. Her gaze suddenly drifted toward the corner of the room, where Diera sat cross-legged. With her eyes closed and a look of intense concentration on her face, Diera was sharpening her senses.
Luciana approached her, her tone teasing.
"And what exactly is Diera-sama doing? Surely you aren't here to help with the administrative work?"
"Nuu... I am meditating. Do not disturb me," Diera replied, opening one eye to glare at the intrusion.
Luciana put a hand to her mouth, affecting a look of wonder.
"How rare. I expect it'll snow tomorrow."
Muttering her snide remark, Luciana returned to my side. She glanced back at Diera, who had resumed her meditation, and whispered a question.
"So, what's really going on with her?"
"She is frustrated because she cannot engage this mysterious adversary. She is attempting to sense the right moment for a sortie."
Diera was desperate to crush the one slaughtering our forces. She found their hit-and-run tactics, refusing to show their face, to be utterly distasteful. I had been teleporting her to the sites of attacks whenever appearance information came in, but unfortunately, she had yet to encounter the enemy.
Diera suddenly stood up with a burst of energy. Clawing at her hair in frustration, she barked at Luciana.
"Luciana! You shall spar with me! Accompany me so that I may vent this frustration!"
"I refuse," Luciana answered nonchalantly, waving a hand as she headed for the exit. "Unlike you, I actually have work to do. Why don't you try someone else?"
Left behind as Luciana departed, Diera slumped into a chair near my desk. She pouted and began to grumble.
"That Luciana... she has forgotten that she was once my subordinate."
"That is ancient history. In this era, you are essentially colleagues."
If one focused on the current organization, Luciana was actually the senior member of the modern Demon King's Army.
Diera’s brows knitted together at my response. She puffed out her cheeks in a blatant display of displeasure before standing up slowly and stomping toward the door.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"To the dining hall! I am famished!" Diera shouted in desperation before storming out of the Audience Chamber.
While my answer had clearly annoyed her, her underlying irritation with the current situation was reaching a breaking point. Personally, I want to resolve this mystery as quickly as possible. If only to put an end to Diera’s tantrums, I must uncover the opponent’s true identity soon.