The Unfortunate Girl Wants an Easy Mode in Her Second Life – Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Bloodwind
ㅤAccording to Sherry-san, the other demons are acting in much the same way.
ㅤHamilton is rallying them, thoroughly instilling the ideology of “fighting to the last soldier to show the demons’ defiance” down to the lowest ranks.
ㅤ
ㅤDemons, who have lived long as spiritual beings in the Netherworld, are easily consumed by strong emotions.
ㅤThis means they are vulnerable to this kind of propaganda, I guess.
ㅤ
ㅤ”What is Hamilton-san thinking?”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmy sighed.
ㅤ
ㅤWe are gathered at a camp set up by the Patrol Knights.
ㅤGathered around a conference table, we are discussing the demons’ hardline stance.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I think Hamilton is trying to discourage us from attacking by showing the demons’ willingness to fight to the death.”
ㅤ
ㅤLewis said.
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s a rational opinion.”
ㅤ
ㅤCertainly, if they are prepared to fight as soldiers unto death, even if we can win, we have to be cautious out of concern for our own losses.
ㅤ
ㅤ”But Hamilton-san knows my and Minato’s strength, right? He knows that if we’re serious, we can wipe out the demons single-handedly. There’s no point in doing something like this.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”So, does Hamilton really believe that, and are they trying to show their defiance to the world even if it means becoming sacrifices?”
ㅤ
ㅤSherry-san says.
ㅤ
ㅤ”If that’s the case, their actions are too passive. I don’t think they’ll get anywhere just by holing up in the ruins and defending.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Perhaps Hamilton’s aim is to create a stalemate? He might think that if he can effectively control the ruins and buy time, the Tree Country will eventually be forced to recognize the Demon Co-Prosperity Sphere?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s too optimistic. I would expect Hamilton to have a more solid plan.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”We don’t know. Perhaps Cretias is still with Hamilton and he’s counting on his power.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”If you’re going to say that, maybe God is interfering with Hamilton in some way.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”If, as Minato says, something like a God has appeared, I honestly don’t know what we can do.”
ㅤ
ㅤLewis shrugged.
ㅤ
ㅤ（I don’t know.）
ㅤ
ㅤI don’t know, but we can’t just stand by and watch.
ㅤAs long as Almy and I are here, the situation needs to be resolved quickly.
ㅤThe longer it takes, the worse the Demon Kingdom’s reputation will become.
ㅤEven the currently amicable Queen of the Tree Country will likely harden her attitude towards us over time.
ㅤ
ㅤWe received the military rations that had been prepared for us and continued our discussion until nightfall when a messenger soldier rushed into the camp.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Captain! It’s terrible!”
ㅤ
ㅤA young soldier, still out of breath, said to Sherry-san.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I don’t understand what’s terrible. Report specifically.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Y-yes sir! I apologize!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Good. So?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The village north of here is being attacked by a large number of demons!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”What!?”
ㅤ
ㅤWe looked at each other.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Fortunately, there is a Knights’ garrison in the village and they are currently holding the gate and fighting! They are requesting immediate assistance!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The village under attack…is this one here.”
ㅤ
ㅤSherry-san said, looking at the map on the table.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s quite a large one.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes. Judging by the number of demons confirmed, it won’t fall immediately. Let’s hurry.”
ㅤ
ㅤWe headed towards the village.
ㅤIt was only a few hours away from this camp.
ㅤI thought we would make it in time without any problems, but then,
ㅤ
ㅤ”Damn it! We were too late!”
ㅤ
ㅤSherry-san said, seeing the flames rising from the depths of the forest.
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, not yet! The demons are still attacking the village!”
ㅤ
ㅤLewis shouted.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Almy and I will go ahead!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmy and I dashed, running through the forest as if flying.
ㅤAlmy is even faster than me, and I struggle to keep up.
ㅤ
ㅤAlmy stopped at the edge of the forest.
ㅤ
ㅤ”What’s wrong, Almy━━?”
ㅤ
ㅤI stopped mid-sentence.
ㅤ
ㅤThe village was engulfed in flames.
ㅤNumerous shadows of demons could be seen within the fire.
ㅤThe demons were running around the village, raising cries of joy.
ㅤThey broke down the doors of houses and dragged the humans out.
ㅤThe humans were gathered in one place, surrounded by a pile of firewood.
ㅤOil had been poured on the firewood, and it was about to be set alight.
ㅤ
ㅤAlmy’s eyes widened, and she froze.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Such a…thing…”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Almy! We have to stop them first!”
ㅤ
ㅤCalling out to her, I rushed into the village.
ㅤ
ㅤI cut down the demons that noticed me and attacked, blasting them away with Ether Shot, and headed towards where the captured people were.
ㅤ
ㅤOne of the demon soldiers held up a lit torch, showing it off to his comrades.
ㅤHe threw the torch onto the piled firewood.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I won’t let you!”
ㅤ
ㅤMy Ether Shot blew the torch away.
ㅤ
ㅤAll eyes turned to me.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s the Demon King! Kill her!”
ㅤ”You’re interfering with our fun!”
ㅤ”You usurper, daring to trample on our long-cherished desire!”
ㅤ
ㅤThe demons charged at me, their bloodlust evident.
ㅤI had no choice but to cut them down and blast them with magic.
ㅤI tried to hold back so as not to kill them, but even wounded, they continued to come at me.
ㅤMoreover, as expected of demons, many of them possessed special abilities.
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s difficult to incapacitate them without killing them in the midst of this chaotic battle.
ㅤHaving come to that conclusion, I had no choice but to abandon my non-lethal approach.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Minato!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmy, who had arrived late, joined the fight.
ㅤAlmy had been fighting before she got here, and was already covered in blood.
ㅤEvery time Almy’s sword flashed, a bloody wind swirled.
ㅤ
ㅤI involuntarily shuddered at the sight of the blood-soaked Demon King, illuminated by the flames.
ㅤ
ㅤHowever, I must look much the same.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Is Hamilton not here!?”
ㅤ
ㅤI shouted as I cut down a demon soldier.
ㅤ
ㅤ”As if His Majesty would appear before the likes of you!”
ㅤ
ㅤAs the demon soldier who shouted that lunged at me, I sliced through his torso as we passed each other.
ㅤHowever, his upper body flew through the air and clung to my back.
ㅤAlmy’s Ether Shot blew the soldier away.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Minato! Don’t let your guard down!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Sorry, thanks!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmy continued to swing her sword with a grim expression.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Certainly, I’m not letting my guard down.）
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s a pained, strained expression.
ㅤ
ㅤ（She’s abandoned her naivety and decided to kill the demon soldiers without hesitation, to prevent me from dying, to prevent the villagers from being killed.）
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s a painful resolve, but resolve nonetheless.
ㅤPerhaps I was the naive one.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Our long-cherished desire!”
ㅤ
ㅤI pulverized the demon who shouted with bloodshot eyes and grabbed at me with a powered-up Ether Shot.
ㅤNo matter what power they possess, there’s no danger if they’re shattered in a single blow.
ㅤOf course, if we choose to fight like this, we will end up killing the demon soldiers “to the last man.”
ㅤJust as they wished.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Oh, come on!”
ㅤ
ㅤI completely crushed the demon soldiers, suppressing my intense frustration.
ㅤ
ㅤI don’t know when that battle ended.
ㅤ
ㅤBefore I knew it, I was standing in the middle of the village, covered in blood.
ㅤ
ㅤ”━━nato, Minato!”
ㅤ
ㅤSherry-san shook my shoulder.
ㅤ
ㅤ”U-uh… S-Sherry-san? Ahaha… Did I show you a pathetic side of myself?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Thanks to you, the people of the village survived. The soldiers who were defending were already too late when we arrived.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Why…did this happen? We just wanted everyone to live happily, that’s all we wanted…”
ㅤ
ㅤSherry-san hugged me as I muttered to myself.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I know. That’s the kind of person you are, Minato. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
ㅤ
ㅤIt will probably take me a while longer to regain my composure.