Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku

Book 12 - Intermission: In the Shadow of the Royal Capital

? The narrator is a big-wig of the demon lord believers [Light of Liberty]

Intermission: In the Shadow of the Royal Capital

"This is the artifact entrusted by the previous Earl Bobi."

The thing on top of the cloth that the man presents is a bracelet that looks like it’s made from braiding of violet-colored hair.

"Fire Magician-dono, is this really it?"

"Umu, I will even bet the house name of Dasles on it."

It doesn’t look like an artifact blessed by Demon God-sama, but we should know whether it’s real when we use it.

If it were a fake, this man could just pay with his soul then.

"As for the rewards--"

I leave it to one of my underlings.

This fire magician seeks a certain information as the reward.

"The tigerkin girl is in a district in the slum where they don’t let humans in. Important as it may, it would be slightly troubling if fire magician-dono makes a big fuss. Therefore, for our friendship, I have ordered for that girl to be abducted, and get her to fire magician-dono."

The fire magician nods like he’s displeased hearing the underling.

I don’t know what grudge he has, but to come far from the east, quite the hard work he’s gone through.

?

"....??????? Summon Artifact"

In exchange of 100 sacrifices, a black short horn falls on top of the altar.

"So this is ?Short Horn?. The demon god-sama’s artifact that can sublimate people into demons...."

I was tempted to reflexively used it, but such imprudence is not allowed before our ambition.

Because I’m yielding it to His Highness to sublimate into a demon and ascend the throne.

I continue to spend everyday changing the souls of the poor who are no different than trash to become artifacts.

The voices of resentment and curses of the poor when their souls are offered to the artifact fill the Holy Grail.

?

"This pill can produce monster huh?"

"Yes, and as it is a military secret of our Empire, we kindly ask Cardinal-sama to keep it a secret."

The weaselkin merchant brings a box full of small pills on his little fingers.

Used separately, this is nothing more than lowest-grade magic potion, but it changes normal creatures into monsters if you give it to one that has a magic core buried inside its body after it’s gone critical state from taking Fiend Drug and then give it magic wave through the activation magic tool.

Getting the fiend drug is a bit hard, but thanks to the help of His Highness, and his accomplice, Honored One, it has become possible to mass produce it in the labyrinth’s underground.

With this, we can turn the royal capital into monster paradise like Heki territory.

?

....What is happening.

For the lower-class noble who was making the Fiend Drug in the labyrinth city to get arrested, and for even the fiend drug that were being transported to the Royal Capital to get seized as well....

"?Mirage?"

"I am here...."

"Disguise yourself as Marquis Kelten, and dispatch ?Violet? to the Labyrinth City. Dispose of Sokel before all of the underground fields are found."

"Is it alright if I do not go myself?"

"I do not mind. There should be some demi-humans with wings in ?Violet?. Let those people go there."

"As you wish."

I leave the ?Disguise? artifact given by Honored One to [Mirage]. If one disguise oneself with this artifact, one cannot be seen through even with Personage Appraisal and Malice Appraisal.

I do not think that it could deceive the appraisal ability of Parion’s hero, but that hero should be far in the weaselkin kingdom, chasing after the present demon king.

This is the time of [Union Season] that only happen once in every 666 years.

It’s the time of the demon lords revival, the [Great Demon Lords’ Season] so to speak.

I have to thank Demon God-sama to have blessed me the fortune of being born in the year of the holy season that hasn’t happened since the time of [Golden Wild Boar King] that destroyed Furu Empire.

?

All of the fiend drug fields in the underground labyrinth have been found by a man who called himself hero’s follower.

Moreover, he even unashamedly snatched the noble daughters who were left chastise for the sake of demon possession.

I had stealthily carried away the stored fiend drug in the warehouse of the army headquarter but half of them were confiscated by the authorities.

Right before the drug were all destroyed, [Mirage] who disguised himself as Marquis Kelten stopped it, but most of it had been carried to the Royal Research Institute in order to be disposed.

The real Marquis Kelten has been arrested by the prime minister too, so [Mirage] can’t disguise himself as him until the successor is selected.

Yet, my underlings managed to bribe a knight, and we were able to scatter the fiend drug in the underground waterway.

With this, I can simply wait for the right time to sow the seed I got from the weaselkins.

?

The first experiment was a success.

I was able to change the rat that had eaten fiend-drug absorbing slimes into rat monster by giving it the seed and using the activation tool left by the weaselkins.

The artificial monsters had red-rope patterns, and they displayed strong power and vigorous appetite compared to the common monsters.

....But one problem remains.

"Every monster got debilitated in less than three days and disintegrated."

"Damn weaselkins, to leave us with these defective products..."

Reports from my underling are not favorable.

I cannot turn the royal capital into monster paradise like this.

--It’s unavoidable.

Let’s prioritize hatching His Highness now.

I instruct my underling to sow the seeds in various places in the royal capital and continue the preparation for the hatching.

Afterward from there, if we get our hands on the Orb, our ambition should come true.

?

The fire magician who got irritated from the abduction plan of the tigerkin girl that wasn’t going well turned one section of the slum into blaze. He’s a fool who can’t be patience before the more important matter.

--It’d be bad if we are exposed through that guy.

I gave several of my subordinates [Short Horns] and the valuable [Long Horn], and dispatched them to the blazing section of the slum to dispose of the fire magician.

Every one of my underlings that had turned into lesser and mid demons met their ends on the fifth seat of Shiga Eight Swords the gun-user that happened to be there, who also got killed in the process.

How pathetic of them considering he lost his seat to Prince Sharlick the holy sword user.

As I thought, the upstart sublimated demons can’t be compared to the natural demons.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the fire magician in the royal capital afterward.

He probably got caught in the fire he created himself and died.

Two days later, there was a bizarre case where the corpse of a white furred tigerkin soldier in cruel condition was left in front of the gate.

It might be the handiworks of the fire magician in question.

In order to secure his arrest, I’ll send Sir Jizon the former temple knight in the royal capital.

?

"How is the condition of His Highness?"

"Yes, he spend the days uneventfully like usual."

I nod back to my underlings reports.

"I see.... So have you found out the location of the thing from before?"

"It is in the Treasury of the royal castle after all. It’s enshrined in the deepest one."

One of my underlings proudly reported the information he got from bribing the vice chief who was in control of cataloging.

I endure not to say that he should have been proud about getting the thing from before--the orb instead.

"Good grief, it has become unthinkably troublesome since we failed at shooting down the airship that was staged to be Duke Bishtal’s assassination."

"It was also for disposing the Mithril Explorers to stop them from being headaches in the future, but it was too greedy."

"The plan to steal the orbs under the pretext of helping them was...."

"To do three things at once, this greediness is your fault!"

"If you have to say that, then you’re also--"

I strike the tip of bishop’s staff I have in my hand to the floor.

"Leave it at that."

I stop the tedious complaints of my underlings, and confirm several things.

"?Mirage?, can you not break into the royal castle?"

"It is impossible. Because normally there is the annoying seal left behind by Ancestor King Yamato...."

If I borrow that person’s power, getting the orb is a simple matter, but I cannot give such an odd chore to Honored One. I have to exhaust my resources in order to do it.

?

....The tactics is underway.

I finished the preparation for the tamed monsters for bombing the obstructive Shiga Eight Swords.

[Mirage] who disguised himself as the Naval General Staff had fed false information to the soldiers of the royal capital’s gate, stating that it’s for practice.

I have also slipped in Sir Jizon into the banquet in order to exterminate Shiga Eight Swords who escape the attack.

The anxiety of the royal capita’s people should be at its peak after the frequent attacks of the monsters.

Judging from the uproar of the ignorant people during the manifestation of the [Dog-head Demon Lord] the other day, they would surely dance as I’ve predicted on the stage this time.

...The whistling arrow from the megalith far away rang the bell of the beginning.

Now then, dance you people of Royal Capital.

The time for the manifestation of the true demon lord is near.

The Light of Liberty--

?Profiles

?Light of Liberty? Demon Lord believers based in Holy Kingdom Parion.

?Mirage? A member of Light of Liberty. A high level scout that can use holy magic.

?His Highness? An unknown person who has appeared many times in only name.

?Honored One? First appearance. Judging from the Narrator’s view point, it’s possible that this person is a demon.

?Wings of Freedom? Demon lord believers based in Oyugock Dukedom.

?Previous Earl Bobi? A noble of Oyugock dukedom. Supported Wings of Freedom.

?Fire Magician? Has grudge against tigerkins. It’s unknown whether he’s the same pyromaniac whom Satou once arrested in Puta Town.

?Dasles? A house name of Makiwa Kingdom’s marquis. It has died out now.

?Tigerkin Girl? It’s unknown whether she’s the same Princess Runya who was being sold in the black market of the Duchy capital.

?Tigerkin Warrior? It’s unknown whether slaughtered man is the same person as Sir Galgaoron who saved Princess Runya from the black market.

?Prince Sharlick? Fought the yellow greater demon in Oyugock dukedom into cripple.

?Gun-user of Shiga Eight Swords? The fift seat of Shiga Eight Swords. Killed each other in a fight against a mid demon.

?Marquis Kelten? The noble who’s framed. Has srong influence in the military.

?Violet? A military unit formed of crime slaves. Mainly does dirty works.

?Hero’s Follower? It’s Satou who’s disguised himself as Kuro.

?Sokel? An underling noble who was affiliated with the fiend drug manufacture.

?Noble Daughters? Saved from the Lost Thieves by Kuro. Employees of Echigoya Firm.