Even though everyone felt it was impossible, in reality... the barrier surrounding the entire city didn't even last thirty seconds before a massive hole was pierced through it, and in the next instant, it shattered completely.
At that moment, everyone's heads buzzed. They couldn't believe what they were seeing, only wondering if they were trapped in a nightmare.
Facing the sweeping beam of light, the mages instinctively raised their defensive magic.
However, compared to the improved ancient barrier, personal defensive magic melted away like ice and snow upon contact, showing no sign of holding back the attack.
The city wall was wiped away in an instant by the killing magic, along with the people on it who hadn't even had time to escape, leaving not even dust behind.
Those who panicked and jumped off the walls to flee had no chance to resist either, as the beam swept over them in the blink of an eye.
Only at the very last moment did the unprepared mages realize... for some unknown reason, this killing magic could easily pierce defensive magic because it was no longer the original version.
What they were facing was no longer just an ordinary Greater Demon, but something unknown and uncontrollable.
This fear spread like a cold tide, silently drowning every heart, leaving people struggling in despair with no way to escape.
As the dark glow of the killing magic gradually faded, the city directly welcomed the iron hooves of cavalry waiting outside.
The defenders at the front had already been completely annihilated by the killing magic. The city walls, and even the streets and buildings behind them, had been erased entirely, nothing remained to stop the cavalry's advance.
What followed was pure chaos. The cavalry had barely entered the city before people were already shouting for surrender, and just like that, this imperial city fell.
———
After the city changed hands, the cavalry began patrolling the urban areas, maintaining order.
The surviving defenders who had surrendered changed sides and became subordinates of the cavalry, also taking on the task of maintaining order, preventing any remnants or prideful imperial citizens from starting a rebellion.
Of course, that kind of situation didn't occur. The Empire was already prone to rebellions, which was why it had magic special forces specifically to suppress them. The main reason for such unrest was, of course, the excessively high taxes, many people simply couldn't survive and had no choice but to rebel.
As soon as Ash entered the city, the cavalry immediately announced that the Kingdom's taxes were 20% lower than the Empire's and would not change for ten years. Instantly, everyone quieted down.
Though it was only 20%, it was enough to ensure people wouldn't starve. They were even told that grain prices were half of what they were in the Empire.
Many had already heard that the Kingdom's special wheat and other crops had extremely high yields. Under normal circumstances, after paying taxes, households could still have a decent surplus. This made people feel tempted.
Some of the bolder residents even volunteered to join the temporarily formed security teams. With black cloth tied around their shoulders, they took up whatever weapons they could find and walked the streets, or reported gatherings that violated military restrictions.
"Were these people originally planning to start rebellions within the Empire anyway?"
Inside the lord's mansion of Kessman City, Ash had set up a tea table atop the grand castle. Looking down at the streets filled with numerous security teams, he couldn't help but sigh at the Empire's chaos.
———
At the same time, in a corner of the city's residential district, a backup emergency base of the magic special forces in the southern border region—
Inside this seemingly ordinary mansion, the regional high-ranking officers of the magic special forces had gathered, their faces solemn as they discussed what had just happened.
"The Marquis Ludwig, who was assigned to defend Demont Fortress and seize the magical city when the opportunity arose... It hasn't even been a week. Not only did he fail to take the magical city and the enemy fortress, even his own territory has fallen."
The overall commander of the southern border region, a kind-looking old man in his sixties named Aberta, clenched his fist and let out a deep sigh filled with regret.
"How did it come to this? A family that has produced heroes for generations... how did it end up in such a pitiful situation, with their own territory being toyed with by outsiders?"
"Even Captain Hyde died suddenly, and his body hasn't even been found... A mage of such great reputation, to die in such a crude way," The deputy commander also looked regretful, even slamming his fist on the table, "All the elites under him were wiped out as well... Arrogance can be tolerated, but there should be limits! This time the Kingdom has gone too far! They're practically trampling the Empire's glory underfoot!"
"The plan to assassinate Serie... I'm afraid it'll have to be put on hold. The Empire's upper ranks will definitely find a way to teach that reckless Kingdom a lesson. The son of Marquis Ludwig has already escaped the city under our protection. He'll surely request the Empire to punish the culprit."
After forcing himself to calm down, Aberta looked up at the sky, now unprotected by any barrier.
Though it was only speculation, he was almost certain... the Empire's top priority assassination target would soon shift from Serie to the Kingdom's leadership.
But just as they were still discussing—
BOOM!
The gate of the courtyard was suddenly blasted open by magic with a loud explosion.
Everyone turned in shock, only to see a familiar and capable subordinate, the vice-captain of the magic special forces, Dale, standing there with five members who were supposed to have died, appearing before them once again.
Seeing this familiar woman, one of his direct subordinates, suddenly "return from the dead" and in such a manner, Aberta immediately realized something. His face twisted in anger as he shouted, "Vice-Captain Dale? And you all... weren't you from two separate squads? Why are you mixed together? Where have you placed the Empire's prohibitions? And what are you doing now? Could it be... you intend to betray the Empire?"
"I'm sorry, sir. I had no choice."
"There's no one monitoring you right now... Put down your staffs, and I can pretend none of this happened."
"It's useless."
Recalling that unimaginable overwhelming magic power, the suffocating pressure she had felt for the first time, Dale's face now held only fear and submission toward absolute strength. With a bitter smile, as if her entire worldview had been overturned, she shook her head.
"That person... is something we—no, humanity—can never defeat. Even among Greater Demons, there probably isn't a monster like that. It's practically a second Serie."
"Even if it's another Serie, she's still just a mage. How could she possibly be unbeatable?"
Aberta had never expected these loyal subordinates not only to survive but to turn traitor.
After all, imperial nobles could command these magic special forces at will. Even the slightest offense could result in exile to the frontier. In all these years, no one had dared resist, let alone betray the Empire.
Faced with this unexpected situation, Aberta even regretted not fleeing the city entirely instead of merely relocating to an emergency contact point.
But now, he could only maintain his authority. Frowning, he suddenly hurled the cup in front of him to the ground. With a loud crack, it shattered, and he roared:
"Wake up, Vice-Captain Dale! Think about what you're doing! Think about your family, think about your—ugh, AHHH! M-my hands?"
Ignoring her superior's shout, Dale raised her staff expressionlessly before he could finish speaking.
Several blades of compressed air instantly severed the commander's arms. At the same time, the other magic special forces members launched attacks on their superiors, using it as proof of their allegiance.
These high-ranking officials, lacking combat ability, had no way to resist the Empire's top mages.
There was no resistance, only curses and agonized screams echoed through the luxurious estate.
"What you fail to understand is you people at the top...", Dale ignored their cries, turning her gaze coldly away from the brutal scene and toward the lord's castle in the center of the city, which had already changed hands, "What will become of the Empire after this..."
She couldn't see the future clearly, but she no longer cared. Silently stepping forward, she grabbed Aberta by the hair, just as she had done to rebels in the past, and dragged him away, intending to exchange him for Ash's trust and the promised wealth and survival.
As for finding a chance to escape... the thought of resistance had already been completely crushed in their hearts. They simply didn't have the courage.
All they hoped was that Ash would keep his promise and silence these people, ensuring that their own survival wouldn't be exposed, so their families in the imperial capital wouldn't be implicated.
———
Inside the castle, Ash had just been about to take a short rest.
The stern-looking vice-captain of the magic special forces, Dale, had already arrived with her defecting subordinates, forcing their captured superiors to kneel before him as proof of loyalty.
"Very good, Miss Dale... From now on, you'll be responsible for the security of this castle. The guards will assist you and ensure no one enters this place. No one will discover that you're still alive, and not a single imperial person will leave this place alive."
Looking at the unfamiliar southern border officers of the magic special forces, Ash simply waved his hand with a smile, having the promised reward delivered while giving his assurances.
"Thank you for your favor. It is our honor to serve you," Dale didn't even glance at the money being set aside. She bowed respectfully.
After receiving his signal, she withdrew with the others, taking the reward with them, but left behind a mage skilled in mental magic to extract memories on the spot.
At the same time, cavalry who had accompanied the magic special forces to confiscate property brought in boxes of documents that hadn't been destroyed, placing them before him one after another.
As Ash listened to the mage's report on the extracted memories while carefully reading through the files, Linie, carrying a faint sweet fragrance, sat beside him and then lay back across his lap, clinging to him like a spoiled kitten. He could only smile helplessly, gently stroking her to relax while continuing his work.
Before long, Solitar also arrived with a soft scent, sitting properly beside him. Curious, she peered at the documents in his hands and couldn't help but ask, "They were actually planning to assassinate Serie? Quite bold. Or do they have some kind of trump card?"
"Who knows. At least these southern commanders don't know. But Serie is probably skilled in close-range combat magic too. Even the top human warriors would have a hard time finding an opening at close range."
He replied casually, one hand stroking Linie's cheek while the other absentmindedly brushed through Solitar's hair.
Among the documents, he not only found the ongoing assassination plan targeting Serie, but also an older plan targeting Frieren.
However, compared to the ongoing preparations for Serie, the plan to assassinate Frieren had been issued eighty years ago, around the time the Demon King had just died.
The shadow warrior squad assigned to the mission had chosen to lie in ambush along a necessary route. But because the hero's party tended to wander without retracing their steps back to the central nations, they had accidentally avoided the ambush entirely.
The order had never been revoked... perhaps still waiting for an opportunity. But after so many years, those assigned to carry it out were likely already dead. Neither he nor the southern commander fully understood it.
As for why they wanted to kill, the disciple (Frieren) and foster mother and teacher (Serie) of the "Saint Teacher," the founder of human magic and the figure who had laid the foundation for the Empire's thousand-year stability—
Back when he had heard this from the all-knowing Schlacht, Ash had found it hard to believe that the Empire could be so insane, so arrogant as to try to kill Serie, who had done nothing to provoke them.
Now, however, he fully believed it. He could even roughly guess... perhaps humans simply couldn't accept the existence of such unstable outsiders.
Just like how the Demon King had once seen elves as troublesome, the Empire saw them the same way. The difference was that elves were enemies to demons, but half-kindred to humans.
But in the end, what did it matter? Even now, the Saint Teacher was still worshipped by the people, did that mean they wouldn't eliminate threats before they could grow?
After all, did a debt of gratitude from a thousand years ago still count as gratitude?
Not just Serie, even Frieren was the same in the Empire's eyes. Even though, just decades ago, she had risked her life to help humanity eliminate its greatest threat... they still planned to kill her.
After all, they were different races. And since that was the case, there was no reason to let them remain. At least when blades were drawn, no one considered elves to be human in any broad sense.
"Humans really are shockingly ungrateful. Fine, Serie was from long ago, but wasn't Frieren fighting for humanity just recently?"
Looking at the assassination orders and confirming the dates, Solitar couldn't help but shake her head and laugh. Then she glanced at him with a teasing smile.
"I wonder... when the human you raised learns your true identity, how different she'll be from these people. And what kind of expression you'll have then. I really... really look forward to it~"
Even with the cute "little girl" on his lap still acting spoiled, the "demon woman" beside him wore the look of someone enjoying the show, eagerly anticipating a falling-out between him and Fern.
Honestly, with Solitar's personality, if Linie hadn't still been rolling around and clinging to him on his lap, Ash might've already smacked her on the head.
But right now, juggling two things at once, stroking the girl while reading documents, he had no interest in dealing with her, so without even looking up, he said, "I think you'll be waiting a long time. Because... in this situation, I just won't let her find out."
"Oh? So you don't trust her either?", Solitar asked with a bright smile.
"Are you a child? Who in this world is completely honest with anyone? Human lifespans are only about a hundred years. They pass in the blink of an eye. Why burden her with something like this?"
"Isn't that just another way of saying you don't trust her?"
"It's not about trust or not. It's about whether it's necessary. If there's no conflict, why bring up something that could create distance?"
After all, talking about race would be like telling his innocent and kind foster daughter that his race stood in direct opposition to hers... Actually, that wasn't even a comparison. The two races really were irreconcilable enemies.
So if possible, he hoped that after forcing the Empire to submit, he could achieve another great unification after a thousand years, something unprecedented.
If he ever had to say it, it would probably be better under those circumstances. Though there was always the chance the Empire had some hidden trump card that could stop his advance.
Deep down, he might even be hoping he'd never have to say it at all. Saying nothing was easier, after all.
"Normally, for demons, a hundred years passes in a blink, right?", Even though he had just said it himself, he still glanced at Solitar, the longest-lived person present.
Solitar smiled and nodded, "Of course. A hundred years is nothing~"
"By the way, when your magic is fully released, it feels about the same as Frieren's. You're at least over a thousand years old, right?"
"Hehe~ guessing a lady's age like that isn't very gentlemanly, you know?", Solitar replied with the same smile, offering no answer and even teasing him in return.
They were all ancient beings, yet they still cared about age? Or was it precisely because they'd lived so long that they cared? Ash recalled how Frieren also disliked talking about her age. Even now, he couldn't understand them.
But there was no point in dwelling on it, so he ended the topic and continued absentmindedly stroking Linie, who lay across his lap.
Compared to discussing age with ancient beings, he'd much rather pet a girl. He even muttered softly, "Kids really are cuter than old people..."
"What did you just say?", Solitar seemed to catch his muttering, her smile widening.
"Nothing. Just saying Linie is cute."
"Mm, Lord Ash, I'm cute... give me a reward," Linie immediately sat up, bringing her face close to his until their noses nearly touched.
"Then you're not cute right now."
"Mm... Lord Ash is mean. I hate you," The girl's adorable face instantly showed displeasure. She stared at him expressionlessly, clearly planning to keep staring until he apologized.
Even being called out like that, Ash just laughed softly, ruffling her pink hair. He pulled the sulking girl back onto his lap, using her warmth while continuing to read.
As for their concerns... he ignored them completely.
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