Maou No Utsuwa

A cave near Harmonia, the capital of Northende. The deep cave that runs everywhere is called the abyss hole of Nort Ende, when and by whom it was named.

How far will it last? The only demons who know all this are the demons who live in the abyss where they have spread their caves over thousands of years. Maybe even those demons don't grasp everything.

The castle of the former Schutz Alten Empire, now the Transfer Magic Formation that connects the castle of the Kingdom of Dia with Nort Ende, is in this abyss hole.

Camui, returning to Nortoende after her conversation with Claudia, was lying on the ground staring into the night sky where she had just left the cave, without heading straight to Harmonia.

In this place, where there is nothing to light or block, the moon shines in the night sky, and the stars look good in an instant.

"... because I'm fine without paying attention"

A voice can be heard from Kamui's mouth. In response to that voice, it was Hildegand who approached me.

"Are you all right?

On his knees next to the sleeping Kamui, Hildegand stares at Kamui with a worrying look on his face.

"Did I make you worry?

"That's right. If I told you I wanted to be alone and you said you'd pick me up, you'd be worried."

"Is that so?"

I didn't feel like coming back from West Mid and going right under my people. Before I met him, I was trying to calm him down, but as a result, I was supposed to worry about Hildegand.

"So...?

"I couldn't kill you."

"Yes... did you get in the way?

Heard of a failure, Hildegand looks a little hoarse. Originally, assassination was not Hildegand's preferred method.

"No. I'm overwhelmed by feelings and I'm no longer willing to do anything"

"Overwhelmed by feelings?

Kamui's answer was surprising to Hildegand. Hildegand thinks Claudia has no power over Kamui. Not only in physical strength, but also in mental terms.

"That's... that's me"

"What?"

"My people disappeared from my surroundings, and I couldn't help resisting trying to do something about the situation. I hated others and resented the world. That's just like the old me."

Kamui found out she couldn't use magic, and her attitude around her changed. My friends left and my family's eyes turned cold. Even as I tried to be strong, the situation remained unchanged, I began to suffer the frustrations and at the end of the day I thought about dying.

This past self and Claudia seemed overlapping to Kamui.

"... what is happening to her?

"Maybe it's worse than me being a kid. No, it must be terrible. When I was a kid, I was in a different position. Influence, what my heart thinks, the suffering it causes... all I could think of was madness dominating me"

"That's it..."

What Hildegand knew Claudia was also doing was disastrous. But it makes you feel stupid, not crazy or anything.

"Conversely, they told me to kill him from the other side. But when they say that, I'm flattered, I can't kill you like I used to be. I thought so and came back..."

"What's up?

"I just lost. I thought if I killed him, I'd lose. Things like this are proof that feelings are losing themselves, but I thought I'd come back here. In the end, I got confused, I didn't know what to do, and I just ran back."

There is a laugh of self-derision on Kamui's face. To the point where even self-derision made me laugh, I was now calm.

"So you were trying to sort your head out here?

"Well. But now I was wondering how I could beat that one. How do I win in the first place, huh?

"Another difficult thing."

If it's a power comparison, it's a win for Kamui. You can go back to West Mid and kill me. But that's not what Kamui thinks winning and losing is all about.

"I rolled to the ground and watched the night sky. To remember how I felt when I wanted to die. If the abusers had killed me back then, I would have thought I would have bothered. I would have loved to have thought of what I had done."

"Really?

Hildegand doesn't understand Kamui's idea. I thought the resentment just overlapped even more when he was killed after being abused.

"If it was me then. I think some of the feelings of dying were also a little mixed up with the harassment of the abused person. I'm dead because of you. You're a murderer. I feel like suing someone like this."

"It's kind of..."

"Distorted? But I'm not in the normal state because I want to die. Well, it's only my case. Still, as a result, I thought you were right not to kill me but to come back."

"So are you going to help? Like Mr. Therese."

The same thing Theresa wanted to die for. Wanting to do something about that Theresa, Kamui turned it into his side room.

"... you can't do this to me. Besides, that was too much sin. Trying to help it will also deny our readiness."

Same goes for the Kamuis who are guilty. The Kamuis have no feelings about escaping that sin. I'm not going to punish myself, but I don't think I'll be allowed to do that. I am prepared that by the sins I have committed, even if I am to die miserably, it will have no choice.

Claudia should also be compensated for the sins she committed, for whatever reason and whatever condition she was in. The sin is not light enough for Kamui to save.

"So what do you do?

"I was thinking about it"

"Really... you can't. I can't help Kamui at times like this."

Hildegand has no experience of wanting to die. Distorted thoughts, such as Kamui says, can be understood as words, but not by heart.

If I could overlap with Kamui's feelings right now, Hildegand would think that must be Theresa.

"That's not true. I think it's someone like Hilda who can beat that."

"Why?"

"Like I said, that was me back in the day. You can call it us. Previously, we had nothing to lose, nothing to be afraid of, and we acted on our own accord. I thought that was the strength."

"... right. Kamui and the others were doing pretty terrible things."

"Same with the current array. I have the fear of abandonment. On the other hand, I have more to protect. There are a lot of things I don't want to lose right now. That's a reversal."

The horror of abandonment is well known to Kamui, who practiced it. And I have a sense that Kamui is different now than he was before.

"We have something to protect, so we have strength."

"I know that. But Hilda can do better than me."

"How could I?

"Hilda has a right we don't have."

"That's not true. I've made a lot of mistakes too."

"Even so, Hilda wants to be right. You're not like me for ditching correctness."

"I..."

Even if they say it's right, Hildegand isn't happy at all. Hildegand wants to be in the same place as Kamui. Hildegand has sworn that if Kamui falls, he will fall with him.

"... Hilda"

Seeing Hildegand look lonely, Kamui woke up and gently drew Hildegand's body.

"It's sloppy. This is how Kamui always tries to delude himself."

"Because it's not. I want Hilda to look like Hilda. If you complain about what I do, I don't hesitate to say it."

"Kamui... I..."

Hildegand cannot deny Kamui's words. Neither did I say anything about this Claudia assassination, but there was considerable resistance inside.

"Don't delude yourself. Hilda, who kills himself and obeys me, is not Hilda. I'm not next to Hilda to make you feel that way."

"Kamui......"

"Hilda......"

Kamui slowly knocked him to the ground, holding Hildegand back.

"... I don't think you can go outside."

"What?"

A truly unfortunate word for Kamui came from Hildegand who pushed him down to the ground.

"How embarrassing for you to be in a place like this. What would you do if someone saw you?

"Obey here...... no, you do"

I wanted this place to kill myself, to be exchanged, but to remain, I couldn't say.

"Do you think it's okay now?

People who are worried don't hold their wives under the night sky. Some people may try to hold him, but Kamui is not the type.

"Oh. I still have a lot to think about, but I just came up with this for sure"

"What could that be?

"Claudia is the enemy. It's good for me and for Claudia to recognize this."

"Yes... right. Seeing them as enemies means recognizing them."

"Like that. Shall we go back then?"

"Yes."

Still in Kamui, not all thoughts were sorted out. Concerns remain about what I have done wrong and what is right with Claudia.

Even so, Kamui must move on.

I've already made up my mind. Even if you're going to turn the "world" against your enemies, keep fighting.

◇ ◇ ◇

The next morning, in the large conference room, the first plenary session in a long time had been held, with the participation of Kamui, with a clear face, and Hildegand, who looked a little lit.

Civilians headed by Matthias, Kingsguard knights like Lang and Theresa. Plus military generals like Kainel and Vadoel. It has all the key figures of Wen Wu in Nort Ende.

It was quicker to say that Lutz and Maria, and all the senior officials of Northende's literature except Ignaerts.

"... don't bring the aftermath of the night into the conference room"

Alto's first voice as a facilitator was a complaint against Kamui.

"What? I'm not."

"Other than that, with two neat faces in line and two flaming faces, I don't like it, but I imagine it's weird."

"Are you stupid!? What time do you think it is? I was just depressed. Feeling a little clearer...... Hilda?

"Ah, yes."

Asked by Kamui, Hildegand, who was leaning over with a bright red face, raised his face.

"That kind of reaction is a weird misunderstanding."

"Ah... yes..."

When he replied with a small voice, which seemed to disappear, Hildegand leaned shyly again. Now I can't tell you not to misunderstand.

"... Now, report me"

Considering that the more Hildegand was involved, the more he would fall for Dotsubo, Kamui asked Alto for a report, as if nothing had happened.

"... well, you can go in any further. Then it's a report. North first. The Royal Deer Army remains in formation a little in front of Amphang."

After Kamui disappears from the imperial mosque, 20,000 troops of the Kingdom of Dia are marching towards the Kingdom of Schutz Alten. But the Royal Diamond Army had stopped marching in front of them leading to Amphang.

"You're right. Is King Therese doing his best?

The Royal Diamond Army stops marching, as the Kamuis expected. The question was how the Kingdom of Schutz Alten would come out against it.

"Against the imperial hardliners, we don't quit imposing harsh dispositions either. Momentum. You're more powerful than I thought."

"Oh, that's because you think it doesn't matter what the king's seat is, right? If you don't like it, there's nothing I can do about it in my subordinate position when I'm told to get off the king's throne."

Whatever you say, Therese has a precedent for getting off the Crown Prince feud herself. Valid as a threat. And Therese is not a threat, she really wants to throw out the king's throne.

"The blood of the Royal Schutz Alten depends on the old minister of the Empire. If we lose it, we lose the great name of defeating the kingdom of Dia."

With Therese, the old minister of the Old Empire can claim authenticity. As the champion of the western part of the continent, that legitimacy will be a great name that will unite not only the Kingdom of Dia, but all other nations.

"The question is, how far can you put up with yourself? 'Cause you're just a pain in the ass."

Kamui's primary concern was how far Terreise could endure his subordinates, who push forward their loyalty to the Empire and softly insist on fighting the kingdom of Dia.

"... that's hard there. The hard-liners are totally dancing by Deefleet. Seriously, the western part of the continent is trying to believe that we're going to be beeping together soon."

"Well, Deefleet has done well so far. I guess I can't help thinking that."

"... wait a minute. What does that mean?

Matthias has asked what conversation Kamui and Alto mean.

"What do you mean?

"Aren't we going to bee up, too?

As Kamui leaves the imperial mosque, the Ruthua Empire officially certifies the Federal Republic of Artenkreutz as its enemy. With that premise, we're already moving the army.

Matthias thought the Republic would finally embark on a battle, too. That's why I thought it was this meeting.

"Even if we fight, we need to freshen up the war a little bit"

"Is it neat?

"The analysis of the uncertain elements has not been completed. The only information on the brave is from the battle on the Royer Plains. Besides, only four of the seven"

"I understand that, but will the Empire give it in between?

The Empire has deployed troops all over the place to get into a totally battlefield position. Fighting is not a strange situation whenever it starts.

"I knew Matthias was serious, too. Don't be a little horny."

"Huh?"

"It's a good thing we're all together and not dyed by us. Because it's people with different ideas that create different possibilities for the organization."

"... you know, that's what we're talking about right now"

"It was. There is no need to force enemy enemies to take sides. We have the option of having our enemies fight on their own."

Matthias had contemplated the form of defiance of the Ruthuan Empire throughout the western part of the continent. In fact, the Kamuis are going to let that happen. But while Matthias thought of it as a battle between the rebels and the Empire, the Kamuis are trying to create a more complicated war situation.

"... is that what you mean? I see what you're thinking. But on top of that, I have concerns."

Kamui's gaze when he heard about Mathias turned to Hildegand. Hildegand looks a little proud of Kamui. For me, I'm glad Matthias, who has always been my right arm, is meeting Kamui's expectations.

"What's that concern?

"It's an absolute difference in numbers. The western part of the continent needs to come together if we are to counter the number of Ruthuan empires. Imitate it like you dare to fight it apart, it will take the form of destroying each and every one and not working in favor of the Empire?

The countries of the West have 20,000 to 40,000 wars. Individually, there is a difference in power that cannot be fattened by the Ruthua Empire.

"Sure. But that's when the Imperial Army came together."

"Wouldn't you like to clump?

"I can't let it come together, but it's right. Always disperse the Imperial Army. This is the basic strategy in this fight. That's going well so far. It's not our plan."

The Ruthua Empire divides the army into four parts, including the Army of the Kingdom of Dia. One army ranges from 20,000 to 30,000. On top of the number, it is a scale that can be fully countered in each country.

"Are you Deefleet..."

"Yes. He turned the eyes of the Empire to the north, to us. Still against 30,000 Imperial Armies. I don't think it's easy."

"Speaking of which, what is the situation in the Kingdom of Graz?

The Union of Sidvest Kingdoms fought directly against the former southern Uncle Territory, the Kingdom of Graz. With the intervention of the Kingdom of Dia, there was the battle of the Royer Plains, but the battle should have continued.

"Isn't Gran Tuden, king's capital of the Kingdom of Graz, by the time he's already fallen?

Alto has answered Matthias' question.

"Really?

The information Alto spoke to had not yet reached Matthias' ears.

"I didn't officially have a report. Without just the intervention of the kingdom of Dia, Gran Tuden would have fallen for a long time. That was just a little stretched out.

"... then the battlefield in the south is Gran Tuden?

Thirty thousand imperial troops are invading the Union of the Kingdom of Sidvest. If you learn of the fall of Gran Tuden, king capital of the Kingdom of Graz. There is also the possibility of heading back for recapture.

"I don't know. Well, that's what Deefleet thinks."

"What would Alto do?

"If I were you, I'd give up Gran Tuden and fight in my country."

"Let me ask you why"

Matthias had the same idea. Still, I asked why because of the other participants.

"Cage Castle is only with allies. I think Cage Castle without reinforcements is tough. Plus after we've already finished the cage fight. How much extra supplies are in Gran Tuden."

"... will the kingdom of Oppenheim not move"

The Union of Kingdoms of Sidvest has an alliance called the Kingdom of Oppenheim. Even in a caged castle, if the Royal Oppenheim Army fought like it would poke the back of the Ruthuan Imperial Army, there would be ample chance.

"Even the Ruthua Empire is not a total idiot. I'm taking care of that."

"... Westmid? But will the Kingdom of Oppenheim be hooked?

The Empire has almost emptied the West Mid in sending troops everywhere. This is what the Alts consider an imperial trap.

But I don't think the Kingdom of Oppenheim realizes that.

"This is the guide, isn't it hooked?

"... why, do you think so?

The way Alto put it, I was a little concerned about Matthias.

"If we take the West Mid, maybe the Kingdom of Oppenheim can take the lead in the rebellion"

It's the recapture of the old royal capital. As a result, it is significant. I don't think the old minister of the Empire will follow the kingdom of Oppenheim.

"But even if we succeed in recapturing it, the Imperial Army that is deploying around us should be back soon. Isn't it also for this reason that neither the Imperial Western Garrison nor the Royal Dia Army will make it to war?

"Suppose it's going to be a war?

"... will it?

The Royal Army of Dia is stationed in front of the Kingdom of Schutz Alten and the Imperial Western garrison in front of the Ethenberg family. I don't think Matthias would think that those two countries, precisely one country and one family, would make it to war. Especially with regard to the Kingdom of Schutz Alten, we have just spoken earlier about the fact that the Thereys are pushing their subordinates.

"I think I'm still ahead, but I don't know what the kingdom of Oppenheim thinks."

"... you mean that"

Alto is already on the move. No, I kept moving without stopping. That's the same for the other three who aren't here.

"Ma'am, we're a sight to behold for a while. Is this too much to say? Direct combat action is immediate."

"Why not?

"It's..."

Alto's gaze turns to Kamui. It's an appeal to you to talk. Kamui also knows this.

"There's something we need to be clear about when we start a full-scale fight"

Urged by Alto, Kamui began explaining.

"It's about who the brave men of the Ruthua Empire are. And for the first time since it was revealed, we know who we're fighting."

"Are you the one fighting?

Matthias wasn't the only one who questioned Kamui's words. Most of the participants had no idea where they would be enemies other than the Ruthua Empire. That's right. Kamui's thoughts go far beyond their imagination.

"... I believe that behind the brave there is a Divine Clan. You know what a god tribe is? It is a race that is in heaven and is said to be the use of God. I mean, the one we're fighting against could be God."

"" "Become!?

The enemy heard of God and all voiced surprises, except Alto and Hildegand. Kamui hasn't told anyone this idea of his own in a long time. I've been worried about it all by myself, and I've told Hildegand and Alto about it lately.

There is no distressing color on Kamui's face talking about this right now. I've already made up my mind. If that's what you need, turn the world against your enemies and fight.