Chapter B1
B1 The Demon King's close aide lets out a sigh at the conference
I'm walking on the long hallway.
A petite back is diagonally in front of me.
About two heads lower than me.
Because of that, the walking speed is considerably slower than me.
Thanks to that, I must move slower than usual.
It's difficult. but I can't overtake.
Because the girl walking in front is the current Demon King.
After advancing through the long hallway, we arrived in front of a door.
Then, Maou-sama stops walking.
To be honest, I don't want to open this door.
Although I don't want to open it, I must open it.
I swallow the sigh that almost leaks out unintentionally and open the door.
And, I give way to Maou-sama, and lower my head respectfully.
Maou-sama stepped into the room as if it was natural without giving a glance to me.
I confirm that Maou-sama has entered the room, and I followed afterwards.
I close the door quietly so that there's no sound.
The room that I looked back was the so-called conference room.
The round table around the seat of honor where Maou-sama should sit is at the center of the room.
10 men and women have already sat down on their seat at the round table.
Half of the number in the room who stood up according to Maou-sama's entrance.
The remaining half sit as it is on the seat.
The problem is that my younger brother is included in the guys who sat on the seat.
I push back the sigh that's going to come out into my throat again.
I pull Demon King's chair, and prompt her to sit.
As expected, Maou-sama sat down with a casual gesture which didn't have the fragment of elegance without giving a glance to me.
I didn't overlook that some of those who sat in a row frown.
Maou-sama probably didn't overlook it either.
It's obvious because she enjoys seeing the reaction.
I think that it's a bad taste, but if even I show such an expression, I don't know what will be said later.
Maintaining a poker face is the most effective against this Maou-sama.
「Then, I shall start the conference. Balto」
「Yes」
It's the holding signal of Maou-sama.
I who answer it briefly.
To put it bluntly, when Maou-sama finish giving the holding signal, she has no more act in here.
Because I'm the one who advances the progress of the conference and all of the practices.
It was forced to me.
「Then, at first, let's hear about the reports of each quarter. Report in order from the first army」
The usual flow of this conference is to hear the activity report of the army deployed in various places.
The one who stood to my words is the Commander of the First Army, Agna who's said to served as the general since the Demon King of two generations ago.
Although Agna-dono looks youthful according to a human, he's a person who have live for a long time among the Demons.
He has the ability that it's strange that why this person is not the Demon King.
「The First Army is at the front of the Rengzant Empire and the advancement preparations to the Kusorion Fort was completed. Because the logistics deployment was completed, it's possible to march anytime if there's an order. That's all」
Agna-dono who finishes it directly without inserting any unnecessary report.
The simple and sturdy temper seems to catch a glimpse.
「The Second Army is also similar. However, if I can have a little more time, the string-pulling might bear a fruit」
The next one who stood after Agna-dono is a bewitching beauty.
The Commander of the Second Army, Sanatoria.
She is a Succubus that uses charm as weapon among the Demons.
Probably the string-pulling is that kind of thing.
「How long will it takes?」
「Two or three days at the earliest」
「You may advance it if there's no obstacle in the march」
「Thank you」
Sanatoria sits on her seat after giving me a charming smile that almost shocked me unintentionally.
However, even after Sanatoria sits down, the following Commander of the Third Army doesn't get up.
「Commander of the Third Army, Kogou」
「Au. After all, it turns out into a war」
To my call, Kogou who has a large build shorten his body and said it.
「Can't the war be avoided?」
「Avoid, is it? If it's possible to avoid, we would do so」
「Au. No matter what?」
When I was going to answer Kogou, a different speech interrupted and sounded in the room.
「No matter what. However. Commander of the Third Army, Kogou, if you want to avoid war no matter what, there's a way to stop it」
It's Maou-sama.
A ill-natured smile sticks to the face like she thought of a cruel mischief.
「Wh-What is it?」
「It's easy. Everyone in the Third Army should just be the world's foundation」
Kogou stiffens to Maou-sama's words.
「What's wrong? War can be evaded because of that」
「I-I'm sorry. I won't say it anymore. Therefore, please forgive me」
「Kogou, if you have learned from this, then don't speak of unnecessary things. Do you have a report?」
I entered the talk before Maou-sama opens her mouth to corner Kogou.
「It's all going well」
「Good. Next」
Although Maou-sama seem to looked a little dissatisfied, this is fine.
The report of the Fourth Army, Fifth Army, Sixth Army finished without a problem.
Next is the Commander of the Seventh Army.
However, the Commander of the Seventh Army, Blow who's my younger brother didn't have the sign to stand from the seat at all.
「Blow」
「Aniki, after all, I can't agree with this」
Blow said it unpleasantly while folding his arms and being arrogant.
「Why is it that Aniki who unified and direct the Demons is not the Demon King but that woman? Isn't it strange!?」
「Blow」
「Aniki also! Why are you serving such a woman!? I can't see that she has the ability that can make Aniki to pledge allegiance!」
「You! There's a limit of how rude you can be against Maou-sama」
It's Darado of the Commander of the Fifth Army who enraged towards Blow who releases his anger that piled up.
The character of Blow and Darado doesn't match because they often clash like this.
Although the surroundings will enter to stop them every time, no one tries to stop them this time.
Those who agree with Blow, those who agree with Darado, and those who pretend contemplation.
The reaction of the Commanders were like that.
However, as for the feelings, everyone in this place intend to pretend contemplation.
「Blow, no matter who's the Demon King, we Demons follow the Maou-sama is the world's providence! Did you forgot about it?」
「Like I know such a thing! Is that woman so excellent!? I haven't even saw her do anything before!?」
「Do you think that it's allowed for us to doubt Maou-sama's thoughts!? Maou-sama has deep thought that we can't imagine!」
「That means that she abandoned to think! There's no way I can obey anything just because it's the Demon King's order! You who's a fool that can't think about things by yourself has no rights to give opinions to me」
「You bastard, how dare you call me a fool!?」
Placed between two people who exchange intense verbal attack, the Commander of the Sixth Army, Hyuui that has a child face distort with annoyance.
The other Commanders watch over the outcome.
Among them, there's the Commander of the Fourth Army that even I can't read his thoughts.
The Commander of the Fourth Army, Merazofis has a dropping pale face that doesn't budge even an inch.
This man has an existence that's not understood well among the Commanders that are full of suspicious people.
Although I'm cautious of his movement, there's no doubtful movement at present.
「Bring it on!」
Finally, Blow puts his hands on his weapon.
Although Darado also reaches for his weapon, his hand didn't reach the weapon.
「Wha-, my body」
「I can't move!?」
The body of both of them stood still ignoring their will.
「I know that I’m to blame, but can you refrain from fighting over such a worthless matter?」
The bitter words of Maou-sama who's the cause of the fight.
Astonishment rules over the room.
It was not only the fact that two people who got their movement sealed.
They don't understand how Maou-sama sealed the movement of the two people.
That's natural.
Maou-sama has never shown her power to the utmost up until now.
It's the thin threads that's almost invisible that stop the movement of the two people.
The threads extend behind the neck of the two people.
Thread of Marionette.
Those who got caught by this thread become puppets of Maou-sama.
And, it's not limited to living things only.
As far as I know, Maou-sama uses this thread to manipulate ten puppets that are developed at the same time, and enemies can be annihilated.
However, I only know that much.
Maou-sama has not shown me her secrets yet.
Maou-sama is not incompetent like Blow said.
The Demon King is not a Demon King just because he or she is called a Demon King.
A Demon King is one who is worthy of being a Demon King.
「When it seems to be too worthless, I'll kill you directly, okay?」
A sublime smile.
Seeing that, there was no one who would say that they will defy Maou-sama.
The Thread of Marionette is pulled.
With that alone, the two of them were made to sit on their seat forcibly.
The thread parts from the two of them at the same time, and then, freedom of the body returns at last.
「I'm so sorry」
「...」
Darado turned pale and apologizes whereas Blow can't say anything.
「Well then, the report of the Eight Army」
Although it might be terrible as an older brother, I leave my younger brother as he is.
「There's no problem」
The Commander of the Eight Army, Wrath reported briefly.
This man doesn't show much interest in the Demon King.
In exchange for that, there are various problems on different things, but because it's unrelated in this case, it's all right.
The problem is the remaining two.
「The Ninth Army can also march without a problem」
If I were to speak of this man, he is black.
The black armor that seems to have combined with his body.
The dark skin that slightly looks like a face.
His hair is also black.
However, only one point, the eyes are strangely red.
The man's name is not even known.
However, he's called as Kuro.
「The Tenth Army, no problem」
And, the girl sitting next to the black man is the exact opposite, white.
The worn robe is snow white.
The exposed skin is also strangely white.
The long braided hair is also white.
Because her eyes are shut, all the colors were white.
This woman's name is also not known.
However, she's called as Shiro.
The two people whom Maou-sama added to the executive of the Demon army.
The identities are not known.
Although I don't know, I can imagine it.
These two people are probably Rulers.
Ruler that's said to manipulate this world from the back.
It's the two of them.
I don't have no way to know how Maou-sama added such two people as subordinates.
However, to the overwhelming eeriness, wariness is heated by all means.
「Un un. It's going well」
Maou-sama who nods in a good mood.
「Then, let's start the war」
And, by those words, the great war that can be said to be the worst one between Demons and Humans, begins quietly.
I expressed a sigh about the fact quietly.