49 Chapter 49: Haemorage (1/2)
”I express my deepest gratitude for your assistance.”
The vampire queen, Lilith Scarlet, bowed her head as she thanked us.
It was shortly after the battle. After the human troops had retreated, the demonic armies had withdrawn back into the dark vampire city of Haemorage. The tanks were parked outside the castle and our soldiers given billets to rest in. The tech-priest engineers assigned to the convoy were busily ministering to the needs of the tanks, repairing them, soothing the machine-spirits with prayer and replenishing the mana ores.
Crown Prince Richard and Dragon Princess Yuan, on the other hand, were welcomed to the throne room of Haemorage, along with the officers of Magna 7th. Captain Elia Kratz, Lieutenant Daniel Dressia and Sergeant Gio Vanni looked ill at ease as they accompanied the royal couple with an honor guard selected from HQ platoon.
Obviously I wasn't allowed to skip out on this, so I dragged myself to the throne room. If Elia and Daniel, who were noble-born, wasn't used to the formal ceremonies, a commoner like me found it much worse. I wanted to find any reason to delegate this task to them and escape to the barracks along with the other soldiers, but my duties as the commanding officer of Magna 7th stipulated that I be present during what seemed to be the welcoming ceremony.
”No…it's only natural.”
”You had every reason to avoid the fight, especially after we withdrew from the demonic alliance, yet you aided us. That said…”
Lilith Scarlet regarded us, her ruby eyes unreadable.
”I am curious about how an armored convoy from Helsfort just happened to be traveling within distance of my domain.”
”Did you not receive our message ahead of time, your excellency? We're the ambassadors from Helsfort…”
”Ah…! To negotiate our return to the alliance…correct?”
Lilith's eyes widened momentarily and then she nodded.
”Yes…after the debacle with Count Raum, my father thought it prudent to escort us with two companies of soldiers.”
”Ah…that idiot Raum…I did hear about that.” Lilith chuckled. ”I guess I should thank his majesty for his foresight. Our lines were going to collapse…if you didn't arrive when you did, the humans would have overrun us.”
”Thank you. But the credit should go to the brave soldiers of the demonic alliance.” Richard turned to us.
”A…ah! Thank you, your excellency!”
Elia blanched before snapping up a salute. Daniel also nodded and saluted.
”It's an honor, your excellency.”
As their superior, I felt as if I had to say something, so I also stepped up and joined the whole flattery thing.
”Thank you for your hospitality, your excellency.”
”It's nothing, your excellency.”
”Major Tanaka here will be the key to repelling the humans,” Richard declared somewhat proudly. Dude…way to put pressure on me. I would very much prefer if he didn't bring me into the conversation like this. ”He is the Hero Slayer, after all…right in front of my father and everyone, he slew one of Evelyn's Chosen, and apparently has killed at least two more of them.”
”That was just luck,” I muttered. Dragon Princess Yuan giggled.
”Luck doesn't happen thrice.”
Or four times, but I didn't want to boast about my murder of Minamoto Kureha.
”As such, we are planning an offensive against the humans, to retake Helsreach and drive them back into their part of the continent. Evelyn's Chosen, after lying dormant for a while, have decided to take charge of the invasion, and they've plunged deep into Morten territory.”
”Indeed,” Lilith acknowledged somewhat bitterly. ”As you saw, they have pierced all the way into my lands.”
”Yes. During this time of crisis, my father would like all demon nobles to stand and fight together. If we continue to remain divided, the united human armies will pick us off one by one and in time, annihilate us totally.”
”I can't say I don't see where he's coming from…especially after such a shameful display.” Lilith sighed as she leaned back against her throne. But her expression hardened. ”That said, Haemorage might not need your assistance. I am recalling the bulk of my forces from the frontier to defend my domain, and they will be back in time tomorrow. Once I have amassed my vampire army, we will crush the humans.”
”…the frontier?”
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”I sent the majority of my army up further north in search of new resources and land.” Lilith's voice was cold. ”My population has been growing, after all. We need more land…and resources to trade for those incredible things the dwarves of Moria have been forging.” She smiled icily. ”Like those tanks of yours.”
Oh. Haemorage needed ore. Ore, metals and minerals for trade, or at least to learn how to reproduce the technology the dwarves of Moria innovated. At least that was the gist I was getting from Lilith's remarks.
”But the defense of my domain takes precedence here. As you know, Haemorage is one of the most powerful domains in Morten. My army can take on several domains on its own. What need do we have of the alliance?”
”That's…”
”Evelyn's Chosen.”
It was Dragon Princess Yuan who spoke up, to aid her faltering husband. Everyone turned to her, but she remained firm.
”You've witnessed firsthand the power of Evelyn's Chosen, have you not? Just one of them could deal that much damage to your army and tie you up. Imagine if there was two of them. Even if just a second Evelyn's Chosen was present…your army would have been totally overwhelmed today. Those monsters defy logic.”
Hey, I was one of those monsters, you know. I bit my lip, annoyed, but I didn't say anything. I wasn't going to jeopardize the negotiations.
”…”
Lilith studied Yuan for a few moments, and then she sighed.
”You're right. But what are the chances that they would send two or more Chosen to a domain as far-flung as mine? From what I've heard, the human armies should be stretched tight across Morten too. Evelyn's Chosen should be no exception. They will have to split their forces up if they want to take all of Morten.”
”Your domain and vampire armies pose a massive threat to the human kingdoms,” Richard pointed out. ”It is not impossible that they would consider sending a sizeable force to attempt to destroy your domain in the near future.”
”…that is true,” Lilith admitted and she hung her head as she folded her arms. ”I don't mean to criticize your father, your highness, but…the last time I was in the demonic alliance, the previous Demon Lord left us to hang and dry.”
”My father promised not to do that. Our assistance in this battle should have proven that.”
”It's just one battle,” Lilith snorted. ”And if I sent my army out to aid the struggle in Helsreach, what happens if a human army like the one today arrives to invade my domain? We would be caught off guard and left to fend for ourselves.”
”Well, the whole point is to drive the humans back to their territory so they wouldn't be able to cross Helsreach and into your domain in the first place.”
”Additionally,” Yuan quipped suspiciously. ”If you're really that worried about the defense of your domain, why did you send the bulk of your forces to the frontier? Shouldn't you be holding them back to prevent invasions such as today?”
Lilith raised both hands. ”You got me there. But Dragon Princess Yuan…don't forget, survival isn't just military survival. We also need to survive both economically and technologically. If we don't secure those resources, we will be left behind in technological advancements. Already, Helsfort, Moria and the domains are progressing far ahead of us in those aspects.”
”All the more you should seek the aid of the alliance,” Richard pressed. ”I will help you negotiate trade deals for technology and resources. And if all goes well and we drive the humans out of our territory, we can expand our own and share whatever new lands we find.”
Lilith chuckled. ”I will hold you to that, your highness.”
”I will do my best to convince my father.”
”Don't just do your best. The moment you step out of that, we'll leave.”
”So you're agreeing to rejoin the alliance?”
”Don't get too excited yet, your highness.” Lilith raised a hand to forestall Richard's enthusiasm and relief. ”There are still other conditions to discuss.”
”That's what we're here for,” Yuan replied. The two young women locked gazes, and then nodded in mutual respect.
Elia, Daniel, Gio and I exchanged glances. What were we even here for? None of us wanted to stick around for hours while the royalty and nobles hammered out political details and conditions. We were better off returning to our barracks and planning for war or something. Or resting after such a major battle.
”Your excellency!”
One of the vampire soldiers suddenly barged into the throne room. Lilith raised an eyebrow at his intrusion, but didn't reprimand him. From his flushed demeanor and panicked expression, it was clear he didn't just walked into an important political meeting for fun.
”What is it, Colonel Barthoz?”
”Emergency report! The human armies…”
Lilith immediately stood up, her fingers almost crushing the armrests of her throne. A blood red aura swirled around her, almost suffocating the whole room. Yuan swayed, only for the equally pale Richard to catch her. Beside me, the three officers trembled from the sheer force of Lilith's mana. Even I wasn't wholly unaffected.
”Are they attacking again?” she asked sharply.
”They seem to be preparing for a massed assault…but that's not the emergency, your excellency. Our scouts have caught sight of human reinforcements arriving from the south. An army about two times as large as the one we fought today…headed by another Evelyn's Chosen! It seems that they're about to join up with the survivors of the army we drove off today and plan a new offensive! Intelligence estimates that they will arrive in the outreach of the Crimson Clearing by dawn tomorrow and launch an attack no later than dusk!”
Lilith took a deep breath before she sat back down in her throne calmly. Narrowing her eyes, she glanced at Richard and especially Yuan.
”It seems that you were right. They have sent a second Evelyn's Chosen. I do not know if my forces will arrive in time to fight them off.”
”I don't take pleasure in being right,” Yuan replied bitterly. Lilith nodded.