Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

Several important figures were currently gathered inside the conference room.

The leaders of Drenovar and Eryndor sat at the table, along with two Council Heads—James, a seasoned middle-aged man, and Joe, a sharp-eyed young representative.

This meeting had been scheduled under the guise of coincidence.

The King of Drenovar had come forward with a proposal for a truce, when—almost at the same time—the Council requested a separate meeting.

Oddly, the Council also insisted that Idris be present for the discussion.

And that raised a troubling question:

Was it truly a coincidence… that they approached only when Idris was here?

Now, only one person's presence was needed.

Sebastian, standing diagonally behind Cedric, kept glancing anxiously toward the entrance.

His young master was making some of the most influential figures in the world wait—and it was fraying his nerves.

But just before the older man could lose a few more years off his life from worry, the doors finally opened.

A familiar blond-haired boy stepped inside.

"Sorry for the delay," Austin said calmly as he walked over and took his seat—positioned between Idris and his father.

Joe let out a sigh. "For a moment, I thought you'd already crossed over to the other side to begin hunting."

Austin gave a playful grin. "You and I both want that to happen… but rushing it would only lead to self-destruction."

Joe gave a knowing nod.

Then Cedric cleared his throat and called the meeting to order. "Alright then, now that everyone's here, shall we hear the reason behind this sudden gathering?"

It was James who answered.

"I believe you're already aware of your son's recent accomplishments."

Cedric nodded slowly. As unbelievable as it was, he couldn't deny the truth—Austin had grown terrifyingly strong in a very short time.

In just a matter of days, he had taken down demons powerful enough to threaten the entire town with their armies.

The news had left both Cedric and Sophie stunned.

They didn't know what had changed in their son… but since he seemed unharmed, grounded, and still very much himself, they hadn't raised any concerns—at least, not yet.

"Based on his claims," James said, "we've decided to grant full protection to Eryndor's capital."

Cedric didn't look surprised—he had already heard about it from Austin.

Which is why he leaned forward and asked, "I'd like to know more about your plans. How exactly do you intend to fortify an entire capital?"

The Council certainly had the quality—but not the quantity.

Their forces were already stretched thin, with several bases spread across the globe, each needing to be constantly manned in order to monitor sensitive zones.

Not to mention, every Council Head operated under tight security—each one flanked by at least one A-rank or even S-rank guardian at all times.

Cedric had been curious from the start—just how much was the Council willing to offer in exchange for leveraging their son?

He expected negotiations, perhaps a formal alliance, maybe even a few elite soldiers.

But what he heard next stunned him.

"Apart from the four S-ranks who will accompany Master Austin," James said calmly, "we will assign every available S-rank and A-rank under our command, along with two thousand soldiers, to protect Eryndor's capital."

"…"

Cedric stared at him, speechless.

This was far beyond anything he had imagined.

He slowly turned his gaze toward his son. Just what kind of spell did you cast on them, Austin…?

How could the Council, known for its caution and rigid politics, show this much trust in a teenager?

Yes, the demons Austin had taken down were powerful—dangerous enough to shake nations.

But was that alone truly enough to warrant this level of faith?

He couldn't tell.

And that uncertainty unsettled him.

(A/N:- Actually, he hadn't told him that he had hunted a Demon General.)

"Additionally," James continued, "I would like to request Lord Idris to contribute to the fortification of Eryndor. Strengthen it as much as you can. After all… the main attack force will be drawing the enemy's full attention."

Idris blinked, clearly overwhelmed by the weight of this conversation. "You mean to say… Austin is your main attack force?"

Joe nodded. "Yes, Lord Idris. He will lead the team tasked with striking the enemy directly and eliminating the Demonic Generals."

Cedric's frown deepened. "I was told Austin would be among the attackers, not leading them—"

"F-Father," Austin cut in quickly, "why don't we… talk about this later?"

There was an uneasy pause.

In that moment, Austin felt a twinge of regret.

Valerie was right… I should have told them everything.

He hadn't expected the Council to act so quickly. When he returned in the evening—still basking in the afterglow of his quiet date with Selner—he'd been blindsided by the sudden notice:

The Council was here.

Cedric glanced sideways at his son.

There was no mistaking it—Austin had kept several things from him.

But rather than cornering him here, in front of everyone, Cedric chose to stay composed and focus on the conversation with the Council.

"I understand your concern," he said slowly. "But Drenovar is close to the danger zone as well. Asking them to send soldiers to Eryndor might be… unfair."

James leaned back, calm and unfazed. "I'll leave that decision to Lord Idris. But you should know—when everything starts, Eryndor will be the red-hot zone. That's where the storm will hit first."

Cedric stayed quiet, turning his attention to Idris, who finally spoke.

"If the Council believes that's where the tide will rise, then I agree—we should prioritize Eryndor," Idris said, his voice measured. Then, looking directly at Cedric, he added,

"Let me use this opportunity to return the favor… that your son has already extended to me."

The discussion progressed into more intricate matters—strategic deployment, supply chain logistics, and the long-term sustainability of stationed units.

They reviewed high-risk regions, highlighting fault lines where demonic activity had been recently reported. Special emphasis was placed on areas that could allow the enemies to sneak in.

Attention shifted to the capital's surrounding districts. There was concern about evacuation routes, underground shelters, and reinforcement of key infrastructure, including communication towers and teleportation gates.

Magical defense formations were proposed, including layered barriers and suppression fields designed to counter large-scale demonic magic. The group debated their placement—whether to concentrate them around the capital itself or spread them along the perimeter towns to create a wider defense net.

There were also talks about specialized forces: terrain specialists to manipulate the battlefield, summoners to maintain magical pressure, and aerial scouts to ensure no movement went unnoticed. Allocation of these forces was determined based on expected enemy behavior.

Further time was spent on alliance coordination—how each faction would maintain communication, handle emergencies, and pass leadership in case of casualties. There was even mention of using mana-linked communication crystals tied to key individuals across all fronts.

The discussion dragged on for nearly three hours before Austin was finally allowed to leave—though not before hearing his father's quiet but firm words:

"We need to talk after this."

Austin didn't protest. He simply offered a faint smile and walked out.

Behind him, Sebastian remained in the conference room, assisting Cedric with gathering maps and documents, arranging everything neatly for later review.

Austin, meanwhile, headed toward the reception hall, hoping for a breath of fresh air and perhaps a moment of silence.

But just as he turned the corner, a familiar voice called out softly:

"Austin."

He looked up, surprised.

Leaning against a pillar stood his mother, her hands loosely clasped, her eyes slightly nervous.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, blinking.

"I've been walking around for a while now… thinking. Waiting," she said, not quite meeting his gaze. "Tell me—what happened during the meeting?"

It wasn't an idle question. There was tension beneath her voice.

And understandably so.

When the ruler of a nation long considered hostile suddenly appeared unannounced—

And when the Council, of all people, responded by arranging an urgent, high-level meeting—

It wasn't diplomacy. It was a signal.

Something was coming.

Something dangerous.

Austin assured her, "Nothing is going to happen, Mom. They came here with the concern of Eryndor's security."

Sophie promptly asked, "Are we going to get attacked?"

"Possibly, yes. But you don't need to worry. I give you my word, mother, that I won't let anything dangerous reach you two." He softly embraced her, placing her head on his chest.

He won't let history repeat itself.

His priority lies in keeping his people safe.

Sophie softly asked, "I never realised..."

Austin hummed in question before she parted from him, her arms on his chest as she said, "My child has become so reliable."

Austin chuckled, "Well, thanks to Valerie, I realised what I was doing wrong and what I need to do."

Sophie smiled, "I owe her a lot."

When his parents had abandoned him, that girl stood by his side all the time.

So yes, she couldn't thank her enough.

°°°°°°°

A/N:- We are heading toward the end. Thanks for being a part of this journey.