If it was a normal army they were up against, they could likely bring things to an even match through a siege and starving them out. But if the Seer moved all of his soldiers at once, it was this side that would ultimately lose.
‘That being said, that is not very likely. He knows the importance of separating soldiers from farmers. He will likely try some other hand. Such as using the special unit that attacked you. Ah, you do not have to tell the others about that.’
“Make the Hero’s army smaller. When they are half, strike all at once.”
“If the enemy is halved, that will be forty to fifty thousand. While we will need to send some out to the various settlements, we should have about thirty thousand here…it is not impossible. But…”
There was concern on Berganda’s face. He must be thinking of a way to break through that formation.
“If you recommend a battle on a field, it must be because you know of a way to deal with their attacks?”
“Aye. It is fine.”
Sheto nodded, but he was feeling very nervous.
The others were all nodding with satisfaction as well. Except for one.
“However, if there is no one to work the fields, they will not be able to feed the soldiers. Would he really attack with such numbers?”
Komos asked. Sheto tried despeate to appear calm.
“…The Seer, wants to, take this continent, quickly. The monsters of the center continent, very strong. Monsters of Morania, all weak. Foolish to take so much time, he thinks.”
“Is that information from your god?”
“Yes. Besides, Berganda, lost to the Hero’s army. Thinks he is weak. No?”
They were weak. No monster would hear that and not have their pride hurt.
As expected, the demon general and the others looked at him with a vicious light in their eyes.
“I forgot about how severely we were defeated in the last battle. The option of muddling through with a siege by starvation was never on the table.”
“Killing the defenseless will not honor our late master. It’s the battlefield where I truly wish to prove myself.”
Said Berganda and the lizardman. And the monsters cheered. Only Komos was silently angry.
‘If we can get them to turn their minds to battle even once, there should be no problem. In the first place, they’ve been taking a passive approach against the Hero’s army all of this time. And so if you give them the slightest chance to go on the offensive, they’ll all surge that way at once.’
Everything was going as the Dragon God planned. The problem was after that. The Hero’s army and the Demon King Army would clash viciously. And in that moment, there will be a chance to win.
Not for Berganda or the Seer’s Hero. But for Sheto.
“Now then, we must send messages to all of the dungeons. Choose those quickest on their feet and have the fields and storage houses burned. Also, do not kill any humans.”
“…Are you asleep, general? Surely you are not worried about this goddess who is stuck to a kobold?”
“Corpses do not eat or complain. Do not forget the point of this plan.”
For a moment, Sheto didn’t realize what Berganda meant, and he was shocked.
This wasn’t about mercy, but to use the weakness that were villagers to his advantage. That’s why they were not to be killed.
After his subordinates left frantically to carry out his order, Berganda turned to Sheto and opened his mouth.
“If you do not like it, kill me now. That is what I told you.”
“…I know.”
“I am a demon general. I harm humans. And monsters too.”
A thick hand was put on Sheto’s shoulder.
“You are a monster. Do not forget it.”
The words rested heavily in Sheto’s stomach. And then the demon general left the room.
Sheto sat at the table, all alone now.
“Salia.”
‘Aye.’
She had not spoken a word during the meeting. She wanted to leave everything to him.
“If I said, that I go with Berganda, what will you do?”
Not the Demon King, but to work under the general. A man who had shown kindness and severity. It was too complicated an emotion to be called fondness.
‘To me, you are a collaborator.’
Salia said calmly. The scent in the air was of a summer forest.
‘It is because of you that I was able to come this far. All I can do is give advice from the sky. But now the Dragon God has taken that role from me. I am just a useless goddess now.’
She said self-deprecatingly. Still, the goddess answered with an unwavering voice.
‘I will leave everything to you. That is all that I can say.’