Chapter 229

Defeating the Demon Queen

The damage during the retreat from the Imperial Capital was much less than expected .

The casualties were almost fully limited to soldiers .

Moreover, it was only some soldiers who served in the rearguard who were affected .

There was hardly any damage to the ordinary people, so considering the situation, we should be happy .

Still, the fact that there were lives lost was tremendously heavy .

Not only the citizens of the Naa Empire but of the surrounding countries too offered their condolences about the dead, especially Dorothea .

They not only protected the people of the Naa Empire, but they also protected humanity from the threat of the demon queen and demons .

Although I was strongly opposed to glorifying death in duty, I still didn’t hesitate to express my condolences for people who risked their lives for their duty .

“Now, let’s talk about the future . ”

Saying that, Manaria-sama opened the meeting .

We were in the imperial city of Zurück, near the border with the Bauer Kingdom .

It had originally been a fortified city built by the empire with the expectation of war with Bauer, now it was the frontline of the war against the demons .

We borrowed a large conference room used by the city administration and gathered to discuss the plan forward .

Most of the attendees participated in the retreat .

Claire-sama and I were a given, but there were also Manaria-sama from Soussa, His Majesty William from Appalachia, Sein-sama, Dor-sama, and Rod-sama from Bauer, Philine and Hilda from Naa, Yuu-sama, Misha, and Lily-sama from the Spirit Church .

It was a bit of a spectacular sight to see so many important people from religious groups and major nations around Bauer .

“What’s happening with the demons?”

“Let me explain it . ”

It was Hilda who responded to Manaria-sama’s question .

”According to reports from the scouts, the demons have stopped their forces after capturing the imperial capital . ”

“What’s the damage to the imperial capital?”

“About that… Curiously, there seems to be little damage to the city’s buildings and facilities . Food seems to have been scavenged, but nothing like reckless destruction was observed . That’s what the reports say . ”

“… Eerie . ”

His Majesty Sein knit his brows .

“No, no, no, we should be happy that the city is not destroyed . It makes it easier to recover after we recapture it from the demons . ”

“Bill, we should think about repelling the demon for now . Recovery comes later . ”

Dor-sama honestly commented on His Majesty William’s carefree words .

“I wonder how’s the demon-repelling barrier . ”

If the town hadn’t been destroyed, was it intact as well?

“It’s no surprise, but it seems to have been destroyed . The magic gems installed in the east, west, north and south of the imperial capital are all reported to have been broken . ”

“Then, the demons made it into the imperial capital…?”

After Hilda finished her explanation, Claire-sama posed her question .

“Yes . At present, the Demon Queen and Plato seem to have taken residence in the imperial castle . ”

“What about Lates?”

“We don’t know . It’s possible he might have stayed in the demon territory as the rear guard, but…”

“… We can’t be optimistic, can we?”

We didn’t have Dorothea with us after all .

We had to deal with the two remaining Great Archdukes and the Demon Queen without her .

“Philine, the imperial capital will very likely become a battlefield, but you don’t mind, do you?”

“…”

Even though Manaria-sama asked that question, Philine just had a vacant expression on her face and didn’t answer .

“… Your Majesty Philine . ”

“Ah… Sorry . It’s nothing . ”

After Hilda shook her shoulder, she finally seemed to return to her senses .

“You just lost your mother… I truly sympathize with you . ”

Dor-sama offered condolences with a somber look on his face .

“Thank you very much . However, I can’t remain depressed . I am now the Empress of the Naa Empire . If something like this stopped me, my mother would laugh at me . ”

Philine showed a courageous smile, but no matter how I looked at it, she was forcing herself .

I’m sure that’s just how important Dorothea was for her .

“I have no choice but to accept the imperial capital becoming a battlefield . If anything, we should be happy to have the locational advantage . ”

Philine said courageously .

She loved her people greatly .

There was no mistaking that the thought of staining the place where they lived with blood must’ve hurt her deeply .

“Apart from recapturing the imperial capital, the problem is the demon queen . ”

Manaria-sama said together with a deep sigh .

“I’ve heard that the demon queen is actually Rei-chan, but I don’t understand that . What does it mean?”

His Majesty William asked me for an explanation .

I didn’t understand well either, so I had no idea how to answer .

“I don’t understand the details . However, there is no doubt that the identity of the demon queen is Rei . ”

“I guarantee it,” declared Claire-sama .

“No but, isn’t it Rei-chan over there? Or what? Are you trying to say that there are two Rei-chans?”

“I think that’s probably the case . ”

“… No no no . ”

William-sama smiled bitterly .

Dor-sama also frowned at Claire-sama and said .

“Since you are saying that, it might be partially the truth, but it’s a little far-fetched for there to be two of the same person . ”

“It’s certainly mysterious . However, the demon queen is unmistakably Rei . ”

“I could tell,” Claire-sama didn’t yield an inch .

“… Rei, how did you feel about that?”

His Majesty Sein turned to me .

Even if he asks me that…

“Honestly, I don’t know . The face and voice were similar . So much that I could say they were mine . However, according to Manaria-sama, the magical power she was clad in and the composition of her magic seemed different from mine . Perhaps, it’s just our appearance that’s similar――”

“It’s not . That was Rei . ”

Claire-sama stubbornly denied the possibility I brought up .

“That’s troubling . No, honestly, I don’t care about the demon queen’s identity . We just have to defeat her anyway . However, at present, it’d be extremely difficult to defeat that demon queen head-on . We need information to defeat her . ”

“The demon queen’s identity could be the starting point of that,” added Manaria-sama .

“Does anybody else have some information about the demon queen? What about the church?”

William-sama asked Yuu-sama .

“I don’t think the existence of the demon queen was reported in the church . Isn’t that right, Missha?”

“Indeed . Yes . I had the opportunity to check the old literature of the church, and although there were detailed descriptions of the demons, I don’t think there was any mention of the demon queen . ”

“… Even the church that has been in conflict with the demons for ages doesn’t know anything?”

Sein-sama reacted with a grim face to Misha’s word .

Everybody fell silent, unable to see the solution .

“Should I explain? I don’t know how many people will understand though . ”

Suddenly, a voice resounded throughout the conference hall .

“Lily-sama?”

The owner of the voice was Lily-sama .

“It’s about time . Finally the demon queen has been dragged out to the front stage . I can finally talk now . ”

Lily-sama spoke in an innocent tone .

“The church shouldn’t know about the demon que–”

“No, Rei . It’s not Lily who’s talking right now . ”

“… Ah . ”

I see, so that’s what it is .

“Isn’t that right, Apostle?”

The apostle grinned to confirm Claire-sama’s question .