Volume 3 Chapter 16 (1/2)
The war ended with our resounding victory. We had satisfied the condition of breaking all of our enemy Demon Lords' crystal.
Before me, my lovely girls were embracing one another and cheering.
While Wight who became a dragonewt had his arms crossed and was nodding in satisfaction.
By the way, [Steel] Demon Lord Zagan distanced himself by dragging his injured body. He then leaned his back on a tombstone and used his ability to make artificial arms made out of mithril which he then attached at his shoulders. He was an unexpectedly skillful person. Truly, a Demon Lord of [Steel].
Normally, at the end of a war, we were supposed to be transferred to each of our own dungeons but there were no signs of that happening anytime soon.
It was futile to think of the reason why; no one could ever tell what goes on that capricious Creator's mind after all.
In the meantime, I decided to check on our status.
”Kuina, Wight, come here.”
I called over Kuina and Wight, the commanders of the first corps and of the defensive corps, respectively.
I was referring to him as Wight even though he was longer a Wight but rather a black dragon of death, a Siegwurm. By all rights, I should be calling him that but it just felt more fitting to call him Wight. I decided that I would continue to do so until I have given him his name.
”Oto-san, I'm here!”
”How may I serve you, my lord?”
The two of them came as soon as I called.
In Kuina's case, however, she took the chance to embrace my right arm as she arrived. She must have been so lonely being separated from me. Such a cute girl.
”The two of you are the commanders of your respective corps. I would like to have your reports now. First, Kuina of the first corps. It seems you've broken the enemy's crystal but are there any casualty?”
Kuina was in charge of the High Elves and the remaining monsters made from imitation medals. With Kuina and Rorono around, I thought it was unlikely to have casualties but it was better to be sure.
”There were some children that got injured but those injuries were light and they have already eaten Elf-chan's apples so they'll recover in time. No casualties.”
I was relieved to hear that. I see, so they've finished their mission without casualties.
”Okay but what about the [Viscosity] Demon Lord?”
”We didn't kill him. Since there was a monster almost as strong as Kuina in the deepest part of [Viscosity]'s dungeon, we promised not to kill him in exchange for telling us why a monster like that was there. Oto-san, our enemies were so sneaky! They all got monsters from their parent Demon Lords! They went around the rules by getting a monster from another's parent!”
It all made sense to me when I heard that. I had seriously doubted [Steel] was able to make a monster such as Byakko; he was too strong. If he fought Kuina or the others seriously in a one on one match, I was not confident they would win.
”So their alliance each got a monster as strong as Byakko? And you defeated one? That's amazing.”
I proceeded to stroke her head. Her fox ears and her soft hair felt good.
As she narrowed her eyes, she spoke.
”Oto-san, the one that defeated the strongest monster wasn't Kuina; it was Rorono-chan. Incredible power awoke within Rorono-chan when she became Oto-san's [Monster of the Covenant]! Give her lots of praise later.”
”I will praise her later. But for now, I must praise Kuina who has dutifully done her role as a commander, right?”
”Yay! ♪”
Kuina, due to being in a better mood, tightened her embrace. I decided that I would brush her tail later in the evening. She did like it when I do that.
”Next, Wight, tell me of the damages on your end.”
”Yes. 24 Skeletons have fallen for our cause. However, I have resurrected 20 of them when I was still a Wight. The other four were revived with my Enhanced Resurrection ability that I got when I became a Siegwurm.”
Just as a Wight had the ability to resurrect fallen monsters, a Siegwurm did too. In addition, this resurrection ability even made monsters stronger than they were before their demise.
It was not without fault, however. Whereas a Wight's ability could resurrect an individual any number of times, a Siegwurm's Enhanced Resurrection could only ever be used on a monster once, thus demanding a more cautious approach in battle.
”I see, you did well on enduring the enemy siege without any casualties.”
It was precisely because of Wight and his resurrection ability that the defense pulled through with no casualties.
”I am grateful for your praise. However, the golems and the weapons did suffer immense damage. 30 golems were destroyed. As for the weapons, 4 heavy-machineguns and 10 flamethrowers were broken while 25 assault rifles were damaged. Forgive me, my lord, for allowing your fighting force to be reduced.”
”We can always make golems and guns as much as we want. Rather, I'm proud of you for putting priority on the lives of the monsters. Truly, nothing less from my right-hand man.”
It was much better than being the other way around where the golems and weapons were used sparingly but monsters were lost left and right.
It was because Wight understood and practiced this sentiment that I could rely on him.
”My, I am thankful for your words. I will continue to devote myself for you, my lord, now more than ever.”
And then he did an elegant bow. It was a gesture I had grown familiar with from when he was still a Wight.
But when he did so as he was now—a good-looking, middle-aged dragonewt gentleman—it felt just right.
If I was perhaps a woman, I might have fallen for him.
And so, I continued to listen to his detailed report: the damages to the dungeon, how the traps were used, and how the enemies reacted to it, and so on.
Actual battles offered the perfect opportunity to conduct experiments whose results were the best materials we could learn from. In order to make our dungeon stronger, we had to obtain as much first-hand information as possible.
As we were doing so, a young woman appeared.
She was a strong-willed, green-haired girl from the same generation as I was in. She was [Wind] Demon Lord Stolas who I had asked to be at standby in my crystal room as my insurance.
”That was a terrific battle, Procell. I thought your ingenuity was already two levels above mine but never did I thought you were more creative than that.”
”Was it of any help?”
”Yes. Of course it's impossible to implement your tactics unchanged but your way of thinking, attitude, and many other things have served as references for me. Thanks to those, I've gotten a few ideas of my own.”
As expected of Stolas; she really was proactive and hard-working.
”That's good. But then, I've exposed nearly all of the cards in my hand so having a fight with you right now is a little frightening.”
”Dismiss the thought. ……the way I see it, for me to challenge you into a war, I would have to be missing two or three screws in my head. In the first place, I think of you as a friend; if I didn't, I wouldn't have left my own dungeon and come here. But then again, if you target and fight for my [Wind], then that will be a whole other conversation, now wouldn't it?”