Angle of the Fireworks

The battle had seemed to be evenly matched for a while, but Dagon started to gain the advantage.

He not only had the reformist’s personal soldiers and pirates on his side, but he also had sea monsters among his subordinates.

One was a giant creature that was covered in moss-like seaweed. It was called a Moss Titan. They were among the best of Dagon’s fighting force.

[Name] Moss Titan
[Rarity] Gold Rare ☆☆☆
[Race] Giant, Magical creature
[Job] Warrior
[Combat ability] 1692
[Skill] Regeneration, Swimming

Moss Titans were magical creatures made by boiling moss and seaweed in a magic pot.
They were aquatic giants known for their size and strength.
Dagon had created ten of them and sent them out into the battlefield.

The giant Moss Titans were killing the Berneze soldiers one after another. Their fists smashed into them without mercy, killing them in a single strike.

It did not take long for the mercenaries to become afraid of the giant monsters, and start to retreat. As we would not be able to maintain the frontline if this continued, I sent Jeanne and Toshizou to deal with the giants.

“Jeanne, Toshizou. Kill those seaweed monsters.”

Understood. They said, and then dashed forward through the battlefield. We could avoid a state of panic now, but the number of soldiers still dictated the battle.

The Berneze army was being pushed back little by little. We were only going to get weaker.
And so I turned to Eve.

“Eve. Any news from the reinforcements led by Ryoma?”

“They have not shown themselves yet. Though, it’s been nearly three days, just as we decided.”

“I see. However, we have to put the plan into motion soon, or Dagon will become suspicious.”

“Do you mean the plan to have Robin assassinate you?”

Eve looked to Robin, who was unleashing arrows in the battle field.
He was always on the frontlines and fighting hard.

In spite of being an archer, he was fighting aggressively in the front. He would get up close to the enemy and shoot them with precision in the forehead or throat.

“Just look at him fighting. If he doesn’t kill me soon, Demon King Dagon will lose patience.”

“Indeed. He might realize that he’s a double agent and have his lover killed.”

“Yes, that’s the one thing I want to avoid.”

“However, Ryoma has yet to appear.”

“She’s Sakamoto Ryoma’s daughter. She won’t be late. For merchants, time is just as valuable as gold.”

“Yes, perhaps Ryoma will be able to reach us in time…”

“You sound like you have something else you wish to say.”

“I do. I will say it plainly now. I think this strategy of faking your assassination as a way of putting Dagon off of his guard is a bad idea.”

“I’m sad to hear that from the best demon tactician.”

I put on a playful, troubled expression.
Eve narrowed her eyebrows, just a little angrily.

“I am not joking. My worry is that Robin will have a change of heart on the battlefield.”

“What do you mean?”

I understood what she meant, but decided to ask her anyway.

“This plan. It involves shooting an arrow into your heart while you’re fighting, so it appears that you are dead?”

“That’s the plan. Of course, I’ll be wearing something to block the arrow, like a cushion.”

“So what will you do if that arrow comes for your head instead?”

“Are you saying that Robin will miss?”

“No, but that he might suddenly feel ambitious. If he kills you here, his lover might be returned to him safely. Or his name will be recorded in history as the slayer of a powerful Demon King. If such temptations were to move him…”

“He might get a single line in a history book for killing someone as low as me. But I don’t think Robin is the type who cares about such honors. However, I won’t say that it’s impossible for him to have a change of heart and kill me as a way of taking matters into his own hands.”

“And so have you taken necessary measures?”

“I have. I’ve told Fuma Kotaro to continue saving Robin’s lover even if I am dead.”

Eve looked incredibly exasperated by this.

“To worry about the person who killed you. It surpasses mercifulness to the point of being soft to a fault.”

“I don’t disagree with you. But it’s part of the gamble. No, a test of patience. It’s a test of how much I can trust Robin. Everything depends on that. So trusting him is part of the requirement.”

I paused for a moment and looked into Eve’s beautiful eyes.

“Eve, I hope that you can believe in Robin too. No, not Robin. Believe in me as I believe in him.”

I stared at her for a while and she finally looked back at me. ‘Very well,’ she finally said with a sigh.

“You are my master. If you believe him, then I will do the same.”

I thanked her and then unleashed magic into the air.
It was a signal to Robin. And also to Ryoma, who should be close to us now.
The fireball went into the sky and then exploded in the air.
Jeanne looked at it and muttered.

“I wonder if fireworks look different from the side. Are they flat or round?”

It was the kind of ridiculous question that didn’t fit the nervous situation, but her expression was serious. Perhaps she too felt that this moment was to be a turning point.

That’s what I thought.

Next Chapter

The Legendary Rebuilding of a World by a Realist Demon King