Chapter 172 (1/2)

Volume 2

The Simple Job of Only Perishing to the Hero Volume 5 Chapter 23

– 107.167.229.84

In an office that wasn’t used that was on the highest floor of the Southern Army’s auxiliary headquarters, there was the figure of a single man.

He had light brown loose and disheveled hair, and an amply grown beard. Coupled together with his muscular body, he looked like a woodsman.

Maybe if he was a member of mankind, people would probably think he was a bandit or a thief and run away from him.

Thanks to his stern looks and fashion that gave off a tremendous intimidating air, there was hardly anyone that would approach him even among the Mazoku, but the person himself couldn’t really understand why everyone was so frightened of him.

But, among a portion of women, there wasn’t just that sort of evaluation of him. Even though he would be a normally good looking man if he just paid a bit more attention to his outward appearance……those sorts of voices could be heard as well.

If he at least shaved his beard, if he at least fixed up his hair, if he at least kept his clothes neat, if he at least held down his brutal intimidating air even just a little……

There seemed to be various requests, but being a literal 「dangerous man」 that made them taste a primitive fear that went beyond yearning towards strength was the evaluation a portion of woman had towards him, and there were even some that secretly adored him.

But, there weren’t any woman that actually approached him, and with men being men, there wasn’t anyone that thought of wanting to approach him since their lives would be in danger if his mood were to be harmed.

The ones that casually interacted with him were the Demon King and his close aides, and then the other Four Cardinal Generals.

That’s right, his name was Raktor.

Gathering the Southern Army that owned the greatest firepower in the Zadark Kingdom, he was the Southern General.

「……So, why don’t you give me the situation explanation or whatever.」

Raktor, who had just arrived through Transfer Magic, asked with a displeased-looking face for an explanation from the Mazoku of the auxiliary headquarters that were prostrating before him.

Among the leaders of the Southern Army, there was no one that meet eyes with him from the front.

That wasn’t out of awe and respect for Raktor who was the oldest in the Dark Continent, but simply due to fear. As for when that happened, it was because Raktor had gone a bit too far with his subordinates at the time of the decisive battle for being the top of the south.

You’ll be torn limb from limb if you oppose……is an often used expression, but since Raktor took that not as a joke nor as an exaggeration and tore them limb from limb, it couldn’t be helped that the leaders who had experienced a terrible time in the past wouldn’t try to meet eyes with him.

Raktor felt that sort of attitude his subordinates took to be unpleasant, but he wasn’t a small enough person to warn them about each and every case of it.

As the chair that Raktor sat in creaked with a *gii* while he thought “how troublesome……”, a male leader started talking as if snapping to it.

「Y, yes! We have yet to see any movements from the mysterious man that appeared near the town’s main gate! He has not attacked us so……honestly, we’re troubled over how to deal with this.」

For the Demon King Army, there was a rule where it was alright to annihilate guys that started the attack on them.

This was a rule meant to suppress Mazoku that didn’t know their own social position, as well as something meant to allow them to make a move without having to seek a decision from someone higher up during emergencies.

This time, Raktor hurried over hearing that there was an 「enemy attack」.

After all, this was a rare chance where he would be able to rampage.

He had thought “if done poorly, they might already have been annihilated and be over with……”, but after actually coming here, there wasn’t any sort of progress at all.

「There ain’t anything to be troubled about or anything in dealing with it. You all, what’re you draggin’ your feet for.」

「Sir, b, but, as long as there is the possibility that he isn’t an enemy, acting carelessly would……」

「Hoo, so you’re sayin’ he ain’t an enemy. In that case, you’ve naturally gotten in contact with him, right?」

Being told that by Raktor, the Mazoku who said that was at a loss for words.

They had not contacted him.

There was also the fact that they were unable to determine who much of an enemy he was, but they feared the idea of damage being brought onto the town of Elgrad from opening hostilities by selfishly taking action.

This was a passive stance that was rare for the Mazoku, but it was also possible to rephrase that as being able to think about things just as much as that.

However, Raktor’s face remained sombre.

「……I see.」

Seeing Raktor quietly say that without shouting, a color of relief spread on the expression of the Mazoku that spoke earlier.

While looking at that, Raktor breathed a sigh in his mind.

This town of Elgrad was special in various ways.

Maybe because it was a town made by gathering of delicate artisans, even though it was within the south, the 「strength is justice」 atmosphere was thin.

In addition, since this auxiliary headquarters was an interaction base with the other regions, Mazoku that were relatively gentle and not oriented towards battle even among the Southern Army were assigned here.

And then, the auxiliary headquarters Mazoku with personalities that were originally 「not Southern Army-like」 had naturally learned to be considerate and thoughtful by spending time in the same town as the artisans, so they became even more amiable.

Becoming amiable wasn’t a bad thing, but their instantaneous force when the time called for it would lower. Just like now.

That was the reason why Raktor made it so that the didn’t come to the auxiliary headquarters all that much, but it seems that was the correct decision.

And then, even for the enemy, choosing this town was probably the correct decision.

After all, this town of Elgrad was the most peaceful town within the south.

If it was any other town, they would have either already entered battle with the garrison, or gotten into a situation that was just before that.

Of course, reinforcement forces have also come running from other towns to the current Elgrad, but as expected, it wasn’t like they were lacking in judgment enough to selfishly run wild in another town.

「In that case, I’ll head out there.」

「P, please wait!」

The subordinates hurriedly stopped Raktor was he was about to stand up from his chair.