With their combat characteristics, it would be possible to not be caught easily and inflict massive amounts of damage, and if that much damage accumulated, Stigma would have to go down to take responsibility for one's own karma.
In other words, it was entirely possible for Stigma to move South.
Instead of returning to the demon realm, Deon stopped by Paras Territory, received a surprising welcome from the waiting Demon King's Army, and took the best room. He then called Dan, who was nearby to see the inside of the room.
"Find a group of Barbai survivors and try to encourage them."
"Yes?"
"The reason they are like that is because of Stigma."
"... Aha."
Understanding was quick. Dan, who was rubbing the somewhat empty window sill with his fingertips, grinned.
"We will also provide appropriate support to prevent easy capture until the second hero arrives."
"You know that not getting caught is the most important thing, right?"
"Of course."
Approximately two weeks later, the Barbai clan began to rampage in the Primero territory.
This was the result of Dan personally going there, wearing a robe, and inciting it.
"How long are you going to live like this with bated breath?"
"Even if you have to go, wouldn't it be less unfair if you take revenge?"
"Stigma sees you as worse than insects. I don't think it's worth worrying about. Aren't you angry? The person who trampled on your tribe is concentrating on other things without even paying attention to you."
Dan knew how to sway his opponent with his tongue.
It touched and incited emotions appropriately and instilled actions that should be done subtly. Even though he raised his voice and fueled their anger, at some point he lowered his voice like a snake, whispering, drawing attention again.
As the remarks continued, the wariness towards the stranger whose face they could not even see eased in an instant. Because other emotions pushed out their vigilance and the other person had a greater purpose in mind.
"Take revenge on Stigma. Clearly show the price of messing with the Barbai people. Let's set a precedent that will be engraved in the history books of the Empire."
"I will support you. Money? No need. I also have bad feelings toward him, so it's enough for you to go on a rampage."
It was a shame to have bad feelings toward Stigma. How many times would one have bad feelings towards someone like the Master, who is not a public figure in the human world and has never even seen their face?
But it's because they have no way of knowing.
Dan smiled secretly, looking at the burning eyes of the Barbai tribe.
In the end, they fell for Dan's instigation and moved. They fought a quick hit-and-run guerrilla war and were not easily caught, but they accumulated considerable damage to Primero territory and eventually caused Stigma to move according to Deon and Dan's goals.
Since it was not anyone else's fault but only one's own karma, it must be resolved as a top priority in order to prevent as much damage to one's reputation as possible.
Stigma smiled as he picked up his sword.
"My Junior, you have a good memory."
He expected that he would find a way to avoid fighting.
"I never thought you could use the bugs I had forgotten about."
Was this called recycling? A word that was not in the dictionary of nobles.
No matter how quickly he reacted, it was inevitable that his reputation will be tarnished by this incident. Stigma should have been in a bad mood, but he gave the command in a cheerful mood, admiring Deon Hardt's wide range of applications that did not miss even the smallest details.
"2/3 of the knights remain here."
He wasn't offended, but since his junior had tarnished his reputation, wouldn't it be right for him to be this mean?
Brutes like the Barbai could be easily eliminated with just 1/3 of his troops. This was especially true since they were a group of survivors and not even a complete tribe.
Stigma headed South with the remaining troops, leaving behind troops that could send support anywhere nearby.
As a result, the possibility of Stigma Primero moving 'directly' had disappeared.
***
The baby was dying.
His complexion turned bluish and then red repeatedly, and his already hot little body became even more heated. There were times when he cried so loudly that it seemed like it would never stop, and now he kept his mouth shut, but she could clearly see that it was not a good sign.
'What do we do?'
Oel was restless and kept looking at the baby in the basket. He was wheezing and making faint whining noises in a hoarse voice as if he was exhausted. She couldn't take her anxious gaze away because she felt like he would run out of breath at any moment if she let her guard down.
'It would be nice if I could at least use magic.'
Since the ban on magic was still in effect, she would be questioned by the Demon King as soon as she used it. If that happens, the existence of a human baby will most likely be revealed.
There was no way the Demon King would spare a human baby.
Rather, she would be punished for hiding a human baby.
As her nervousness grew, Oel called out a familiar name out of habit.
"... Dernivan."
"Yes, Oel."
"My blessing... is dying. Please do something."
"..."
An earnest gaze reached him. Dernivan made eye contact with Oel and was silent for a moment.
According to the principle, it should be killed. Even now, if he closed his eyes and ears, closed his mouth, and pretended not to notice, the matter would be resolved quietly.
But he never once defeated his superiors.
"... Give it to me."
It was the same this time too...
"Uh... So..."
Milan, a member of the Knights under the direct command of Commander of the 0th Corps, looked at the baby in Dernivan's arms with a shocked expression.
"Ask me to save him?"
"Yes."
Dernivan, who gave the answer, also seemed very untrustworthy.
But there was no other way. In the Demon King's Castle, the only beings who knew about the existence of a human baby and could remain silent would be 'humans', and those who knew 'humans' well would also be 'humans', but Deon and his attendant named 'Dan' were absent from the human world.
If the baby in his arms hadn't been acting like it was going to die right now, he would have taken some time to contact them.
"If you save his life, I will definitely repay you."
"Well... let's take a look first."
He didn't know much, but it would be better for a smart guy to look at it. Milan scratched his head and looked at Cleter.
Cleter, who muttered, "It's my first time with a baby too," but obediently took over, checked the baby's condition.
'He's dying.'
He was too tired to even pretend to cry. Moreover, the skin and bones were close together.
Without having to search his mind and remember the information he heard on the street, the question came straight out.
"Hey... have you fed him?"
"He didn't eat anything."
"That can't be possible..."
If he was this starved, he would definitely have tried to eat anything.
"What on earth did you give him?"
"I gave him meat, fruit, bread, and whatever food I could find in the human world."
"... What was the result?"
"He vomited everything."
Of course it was.
It's socking that he didn't die. If he had vomited everything, he wouldn't have been able to drink enough water. He sighed and motioned to a nearby colleague to bring the barley tea first.
"Oh, what do we drink when we train?"
"Okay, don't just bring it with you, bring it lukewarm. And you, bring a towel and a bowl of warm water to help the child's fever."
Since we can't get powdered milk right away, we have to come up with a temporary solution.
Cleter, who had roughly ordered everything, turned his head. He made eye contact with a demon with wolf ears who had been watching the situation the whole time.
It may be a bit insensitive, but he still had to say what he had to say.
"Babies eat breast milk or formula. If you feed it anything other than that, you'll be in big trouble."
"I see."
A dry voice returned, as if clearly showing that he was not interested. Cleter's eyes narrowed.
It seems that this demon was not interested in the baby...
"Can you save it?"
Considering that he was only interested in his 'life and death', it seems that an opponent he could not defeat emotionally or in terms of status wanted to save the baby.
Could it be that he was interested in the baby but didn't know what the baby was supposed to eat?
'Well, they are demons.'
There are humans who are so intoxicated by the cuteness of animals that they bring them in at will and don't know anything about how to raise them, so how are these demons any different? He probably picked it up out of curiosity.
... He weren't kidnapped, right?
'Oh, no way.'
It was a time when there are many orphans. Since the streets were littered with children who had lost their parents, he must have been picked up from among them.
Cleter hurriedly shook off his random thoughts and spoke.
"... I can't guarantee because the condition is so bad, but I'll try."
"I'll say it again, if you save his life, I'll definitely repay you."
"It has been repaid, and please take good care of our Captain."
"That's right. Maybe because he's been through a lot of different things, our Captain's eyes look a little dead."
"Aren't you being territorial here?"
"As expected, they are evil demons...!"
They suddenly joined in here and there to say a word, and then Cleter, who was holding his forehead as they trembled among themselves, shook his head and then glanced at the demon who had brought the baby.
Although he must have been watching and listening to this entire conversation from the beginning, he did not show any signs of being upset, just blinked once and turned his head as if he was not interested. At first glance, it seemed like he was ignoring everything that was said.
'But since he mentioned repayment in such a serious manner, I'm sure he will remember it.'
Assist the Captain well.
So, even if he was not a helper, he would help at least once in an important moment.
Instead of worrying about whether the other person might have ignored or overlooked it, Cleter focused on taking care of the baby.
***
I did not return to the demon realm.
Rather than receiving reports on paper from the demon realm and drawing orders in my head, I chose to remain in the human world with Dan and lead the Demon King's Army by seeing it with my own eyes.
In the former case, not only were there more procedures and less accuracy, but more than anything, I wanted to kill the Emperor with my own hands.
'Actually, Dan followed along on his own.'
Anyway.
If we break through Miller territory, w can reach the Capitol in no time. In addition to various fiefdoms in the middle, there was a fiefdom where the current Hardt family head was staying, but they were all insignificant fiefdoms and I had no worries because I had vivid memories of directly witnessing the incompetence of the collateral who had become the head of the family. In short, it means that the Miller Estate is the final barrier to the Capitol.
'... So that's why.'
The resistance was very strong.
Red eyes scanned the slow progress. Even though they had not yet arrived in front of the castle walls, the troops were already exhausted.
There wasn't even a proper battle.
'They come out of nowhere, attack, and then retreat before we can respond.'
If it had been a head-on battle, they wouldn't have been so exhausted. They were waging desperate guerrilla warfare as if they were trying to somehow slow down the advance.
A battle that made full use of the forest as a geographical feature.
They were probably still hiding somewhere in that forest, waiting for the right moment. If this continued, the ominous thought that a proper battle will be impossible by the time we reach the castle walls kept rising.
'Because physical strength and mental strength are separate things.'
The body is important, but in the current situation, the mind must have been greatly eroded. Even considering the limitations of the human world, demons have good physical strength, but because of this, they cannot utilize that good physical strength properly. I, who was glaring angrily at the forest with my arms crossed and flicking an unlit cigarette in my mouth, gave an order as if chewing.
"Retreat to the outside of the forest."
"Yes?"
"Beware of surprise attacks from the rear."
We've come this far, taking the damage, but we're leaving without gaining anything.
We cannot even guarantee that the enemy will not launch a surprise attack during our retreat. Even now, didn't the retreat order include the words 'beware of surprise attacks from the rear'?
Since it was an order from the general commander, it is right to follow it... but the generals hesitated, concerned that the soldiers' morale wold fall. I immediately reacted sharply.
"It seems like my words don't even sound like words. You know what happens if you disobey your superiors' orders in war."
"Yes!"
"Change direction! Retreat to the outside of the forest!"