Chapter 236 – We Were Unable To Stop It!?

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“Ms. Sophis! I’ll deal with this side!”

Iria shouted, and then Sophis raised her hand a little and unleashed magic into the distance.

And then Iria cut through the horde of humanoids that were moving towards Sophis.

An explosion rose up ahead, and the surrounding humanoids dispersed into white vapor.

By defeating groups both near and far away, Sophis now had more freedom to move.

Mette then said,

“Joshua. Asuha and I shall support Princess Iria. Leave this place to us.”
“Aye, thank you.”

I nodded, and then rushed towards Sophis.

“Sophis, are you alright!?”
“Sir Joshua…all of you… I am so sorry.”

Sophis had a grim expression as she launched her magic attacks.

“…What happened? Who are they?”
“Spirits summoned by Kyuby. An army that will make his plan perfect.”

A fighting force to ensure success.
Even if the humans and Demon King Army clashed, not everyone would die at once. If one side took too much damage, then they would start to retreat. And so Kyuby had prepared an army in order to stop such a retreat.

They were not very strong.
Melk and Asuha’s magic could defeat them, Iria’s blade could cut them, and even Mette’s club was effective… It seemed like magic and anything charged with magic could defeat them.

“In other words… You were not able to persuade Kyuby?”
“…Unfortunately. However, he was unsure… If I could only speak to him again.”

Sophis looked like she was praying.

To me, it seemed like that ship had already sailed. He had chosen to fight against Sophis. Surely he knew what that meant.

“However, I do not understand. Why Kyuby did not agree to the new plan.”

The Emperor had decided to wait to see if we would succeed. If he had allowed all his political enemies and those wretched nobles to die here, he would have so much more control over the world… However, he had agreed to wait.

Was it his conscience, or did he have hope that we would succeed? Well, he probably saw the danger in trusting someone like Kyuby.

Sophis answered.

“Kyuby has something he wants to do. Even more than the reunion with his mother…”

Yes. For instance, if his aim was to unite the world, just like the Emperor.

No, he would not try to surpass Sophis like that. Judging from what Sophis said, it must have been a very difficult decision for him.

So then, the other thing must be… His hatred towards humans and demihumans.

“…To drive humans and demihumans into extinction. To that end, he would make an enemy of you, his savior.”

I said, and Sophis nodded with an expression full of regret.

“It seems strange to want the extinction of a people, when the border between life and death is about to be erased. Perhaps Kyuby never had much faith that the plan would succeed…”
“I don’t know about that… I think that Kyuby even wants to use the building of the gate to his advantage.”
“Use?”
“Kyuby has a crest that is able to deceive a god. While he cannot control them, he can easily change one or two of their perceptions. And so perhaps Kyuby means to manipulate the gods intro destroying humans and demihumans.”

If he did that, then the humans and demihumans would be gone from all over the continent. And only monsters would remain.

“But then…”
“Yes. He will disappear as well.”

That is how strong his resolve is.

I then asked Sophis.

“If Kyuby’s plan goes well, then the Demon King Army will continue on for a long time. If anything, it will be able to dominate without humans and demihumans…”

It did not sound like a bad thing for them.

However, Sophis shook her head.

“It is just as I said to the Emperor. I have high hopes for all of you. And so I do not want to lose you now.”

As Sophis unleashed her magic, she turned her eyes towards Iria and the others, who fought on the frontlines.

“I am a Demon King. Some of them would have had friends and relatives killed by my subordinates. I am their enemy. And yet you have all accepted me as an ally, and come to help me.”

My own parents were killed by the Demon King Army, and our homeland was burned to the ground. The demihumans had also suffered heavy losses throughout history.

“And so I cannot betray you now.”

Sophis said firmly.

I nodded.

“Thank you, Sophis… We will stop Kyuby together.”

“It would not be so hard…if we knew where he was. Should we destroy this army first?”
“No, Sir Joshua. Please leave this to me. If Kyuby really wishes for the extinction of humans and demihumans, there is one other thing that he will want to acquire. The target of his anger…”
“Is being sheltered in Fendel.”

Yomotsu.

“Why does he need Yomotsu?”
“He is a rare necromancer. When opening the gate, you cannot open it from this side alone. You must have the help of the dead on the other side. And it is best to call the powerful dead.”
“And Yomotsu can do that?”
“Yes. And if he left the spirits here to capture me, then he must have gone to Fendel to get Yomotsu.”

Sophis seemed to be telling me to return to Fendel at once.

Fendel was currently strongly protected. However, Kyuby was someone who could gather an army of this size…

“…Are you certain?”
“It is my fault for not being able to stop this. I have already called in reinforcements, and Lady Iria and the others have made things easier already.”

Now that I looked, there was quite a distance between the spirits and us.

Thanks to the others defeating so many of them, the Demon King’s subordinates were able to rest for a short while.

“Leave the rest to us. Please return to Fendel.”
“…Very well. And once we are finished there, I will come back with my friends.”
“Thank you. And if we finish first, we will rush to Fendel.”

We nodded at each other.

And like that, we returned to the airship and hurried back to Fendel.

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Seisan Mahoushi no Rakuraku Henkyou Kaitaku - Saikyou no Ajintachi to Howaito Kokka wo Kizukimasu!