NOVEL NEXT Chapter 253
“My father was a man known as the Napoleon of the underworld, so I aspired to become nothing less than Napoleon Bonaparte himself.”
The Demon King’s expression was dark. She was filling one of her self-cut horns with a fake bronze horn, but her pride, severed along with the horn, could not be mended by a mere bronze sculpture.
“What I wished to emulate was the glory he displayed against the continent, not his defeat and downfall. Do you understand my words, Mother?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t quite comprehend what Your Highness is saying…”
The Succubus Queen replied, bowing her head. The Demon King chuckled softly and shook her head.
“You might not know. Even though you became my father’s queen, you didn’t show much interest in the world from which he originally came. I think that’s a practical attitude. Perhaps my interest in that world was impractical. However, sometimes interest in what is not pragmatic can become an important turning point in our lives…”
The Demon King lightly pressed the scar on her shoulder against her uniform. A bullet. The weapon that Margaret had used to shoot her was definitely a bullet. Margaret had managed to land fatal blows on the Demon King at least three times before. The first was a hundred years ago when they were both inexperienced. Violet had barely dodged an arrow that was aimed directly at her neck, saving her own life.
The second was during the Queens’ War when Margaret shot an arrow at the back of her neck. If, for some unknown reason, Margaret’s aim hadn’t faltered, that arrow would surely have pierced the Demon King’s neck, killing Violet on the spot.
The last was a rifle shot from Margaret upon hearing the Demon King’s scream. It was astonishingly accurate for a shot fired at a position solely based on sound. If Margaret had seen the Demon King with her own eyes and shot her, she would have undoubtedly pierced her heart.
Each occasion had been a remarkable combination of coincidence and luck that had kept Violet alive until now. The Demon King felt both rage and pity for the being that had come so close to killing her multiple times.
“To catch my tail three times and to let it slip away each time; it appears the Elf Lord is not destined to kill me…”
“No one will let Your Highness die. At least not while I am still alive.”
The Succubus Queen said. The Demon King nodded.
“Indeed, pursuing the downfall of Napoleon won’t be easy. I shall not be given an Elba Island to rest and sustain my life. What did he say when he departed for Elba? I remember it well. In the season when Violet blossoms, I shall return. And return he did. Isn’t it amusing?”
“Hmmm…”
Elios, who was entirely ignorant of Earth’s history, could not follow her words. The Demon King, unbothered by that or anything else, immersed herself in thought while examining a map. Enemies were rushing in from all three directions, and they had joined forces to form a siege around the Demon King’s Castle.
It was impossible to overcome this situation without desperate defensive tactics. Now the Demon King needed to start fiddling with the very cards she wished to avoid.
“Prepare for the Emperor’s coronation.”
“The Emperor? What do you mean…”
“It is the coronation of yours truly. It may feel a bit premature, but if we don’t do it now, there may never be a chance again.”
At the Demon King’s words, the Succubus Queen wore a puzzled expression. No matter how she thought about it, it did not seem like the most suitable moment for a coronation with enemies looming so close.
“With all due respect, Your Highness…”
“Do you think it is inappropriate now, Mother? If I were to seize seventy percent of the continent and press humanity hard, it might be understandable, but don’t you think now, with my territory reduced by more than half and even the demon races rebelling against me, it is especially so?”
The Succubus Queen nodded slightly in silence. The Demon King shook her head and smiled.
“It’s the worst situation. In dire situations, we need something stronger than orders. Orders can change at any time and cannot be trusted, but if we leave laws in documents, we can persuade.”
“Persuade whom…?”
“The humans.”
“The humans?”
“Yes, the humans, Mother.”
The Demon King rose from her seat and walked down the stairs. To her mother, who still seemed to not understand her words, the Demon King spoke in an unusually kind voice as she began to elaborate on her thoughts.
“Mother, through this battle, I have come to realize something. It is not only the demon races that harbor resentment against the Empire. Many of the humans under my control believe that the Empire’s victory may not benefit them at all. Their reasons vary. Some fear being branded as my subordinates, some are concerned about legal issues, some about their innate status within the Empire, and some harbor hatred for a nation that did not protect them. Of course, there are many humans who resist me as well. Because of that, I have kept them hidden underground and used them merely as laborers, but it is now time to deploy them to the battlefield.”
“Throwing humans as mere meat shields for a desperate defense is a tactical option I have no issue with.”
“No, it requires more than that. I can no longer use demon troops to crush the rebel factions in the West. In fact, the situation is now alarming, where the suppression forces might instead join the rebellion. Thus, I plan to create a new specialized unit to crush the insubordination of the despicable goblins. Yes, now you understand my thoughts.”
“Using humans to capture demons…”
“The enemy uses demons to capture our humans. There is no reason we shouldn’t do the same.”
As the war reached its final stages, its true face began to reveal itself. The minimal rules upheld during the time of the former Hero were starting to fade away, as were even the slightest remnants of romance. Now, it was a situation where demons cooperated with humanity’s Empire, and humanity became the slaves of demons in battle.
The possibility of this war reaching such a point had existed from the very beginning. It was merely a strange truth that everyone had avoided voicing.
“To do so, we must dangle the carrot of ensuring that they will have a guaranteed status in this country. They won’t believe mere words. Understandably so, as I am currently the Demon King. Moreover, this community has not transcended the sham of a loose confederation of warlords. Given the current state, even if I wanted to assure them their status, it might prove too difficult with just my power. Thus, I require… a greater authority. Moreover, I need a legal code that elevates my commands to absolute regulations.”
“You intend to treat surrendered humans no differently than demons?”
“Our laws would. If they show sufficient loyalty, that is. Offer them carrots generously. The more they have been oppressed, the sweeter the reward will taste. And additionally… transform the worst tortures they have suffered into the greatest rewards.”
“I don’t understand the meaning of what you’re saying.”
“You know well. Abolish the sexual torture carried out using your subordinates to extract information, and instead reward those capable of turning into soldiers. Changing the perception of the same act from torture to reward should be a simple task for our kin.”
“I understand. Is that all I need to prepare?”
“There is much for you to prepare, Mother. First, contact the demon rulers under my command who possess their own power and notify them in advance that I will be founding an Empire and have them pledge absolute subservience. The Dragon Lord is the only exception. I will deal with that matter personally.”
“That issue has already progressed to some extent while dealing with the rebellion in the west. No one would dare to stand against Your Highness.”
“Very well. Next, begin the production of personal firearms in the factories.”
“Firearms?”
The Succubus Queen asked with a puzzled expression. Just as the Empire had never developed guns, the Demon King’s army had never taken an interest in firearms. In fact, due to the lack of technological sophistication, the Demon King’s army didn’t even possess a basic cannon. The only artillery in the warehouse had been a stash of bronze cannons salvaged from the war against the Empire, tucked away in a corner.
“I realized it after getting hit with bullets. While it is a crude weapon for skilled soldiers, there is no better weapon to hand over to newly conscripted soldiers. The simple operation lowers the aversion to killing, while the loud gunfire helps inexperienced soldiers more than silence does. The moment I ascend as Emperor, I will immediately conscript humans and begin utilizing them, so I’m instructing you to prepare their weapons in advance.”
“But it doesn’t seem to be just simple technology. You can’t just create them based on appearance, can you?”
“Isn’t my father still alive? To be exact, he isn’t alive, but I hope the information lodged in his brain will be of some use. He was quite knowledgeable about the structure of gunpowder weaponry from his world. Considering that he was well-versed not only in mathematics but also in strange mechanics for a math professor, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had an extensive understanding of weapons.”
There was a reason Violet felt optimistic. She had solid proof based on her father’s records that he had been deeply involved in the arms smuggling of criminal organizations. In some cases, accounts existed of him modifying military-grade supplies for civilian use, which significantly increased the likelihood that James Moriarty held detailed knowledge of firearms in his mind.
After confirming that Violet had a certain degree of conviction, the Succubus Queen bowed her head in accordance with her orders.
“Then I will begin immediately.”
“Please do your best. Everything is for me.”
“Doing it for Your Highness is also doing it for myself.”
The Succubus Queen bowed deeply toward the Demon King and hurried out of the Royal Palace. The Demon King slowly walked back to her throne and plopped down on the chair.
“The next time I return to the battlefield, will it truly be my Waterloo? Just as the criminal Napoleon fell in London, will I fall to the enemies in the Audrich region?”
The Demon King’s gaze wavered with fear of defeat. There had never been a moment when destruction felt this close. She had never felt so cornered, so precarious, and so anxious in her life.
But clutching her head and nearly groaning, she quickly gathered her thoughts and her eyes reignited with determination. She still had unfulfilled dreams, and they were quite simple. To dominate the entire world. And when she died, to die as a triumphant conqueror who had brought peace to the world. Her vision of the world was not so small. Beyond this continent lay different seas, other continents, and unknown worlds, encompassing her grand dream.
“No! That will not happen. Come closer! If you get close enough, this will not be your Waterloo but your Russia. You will come to regret your foolish expedition to this land of falling snow.”