Tilea's Worries

"Alright, I’ll leave it to you!"  

"Yes, ma’am!"  

Edim's elite subordinate battalion responded gallantly, dropping to one knee in a show of loyalty.  

Under Edim’s orders, her entire vampire army stationed in the royal capital had been assembled.  

Before me, more than a thousand vampire warriors stood in solemn formation.  

It was an awe-inspiring sight.  

At my signal, the captains in the front rows rose and mounted their steeds, followed swiftly by their troops.  

"First Battalion, march to the Berga Plains!"  

The captain of the First Battalion, Cas Friegen, bellowed the command from horseback.  

With Cas leading, 150 mounted troops began their march toward the Berga Plains.  

"Third Battalion, move toward the Sirene region!"  

"Fourth Battalion, garrison at Hebel Fort. Do not fall behind!"  

"Fifth Battalion, secure the summit of Mount Gaitei. Forward!"  

Following Cas's lead, the other captains rallied their hundreds of soldiers and set out confidently. Their disciplined maneuvers rivaled those of the royal army, far surpassing any ordinary cavalry unit.  

The only one left behind was a hulking soldier with rippling muscles: Darf Gaderio, the vampire vice-captain overseeing all battlefronts.  

Darf, formerly the captain of the northern security forces, had recently been promoted to supreme commander of the Arcdas Kingdom’s foreign expeditionary forces. In simpler terms, he was now a general of the realm.  

This time, he was leveraging his position to command an army of ten thousand on the battlefield.  

"Darf, I’m counting on you to lead the charge. Take care of everyone."  

"Understood. I accept the responsibility."  

With a brief response, Darf bowed respectfully before departing. He would join the expeditionary forces to take command.  

What a reliable figure. Watching his retreating form, I couldn’t help but feel admiration.  

Truly, Edim had chosen her strongest warrior well. His commanding presence exuded the air of a king.  

You may be wondering why, with the Baccio Special Forces’ attack imminent, I sent our strongest warriors out of the capital. There’s a reason for that.  

This morning, Miless finally woke up after days of exhaustion.  

Though still recovering, I couldn’t help but ask her for advice on what to do next.  

### **Miless’s Advice #1:**  

"Elizabeth will target our families. Assign guards to protect them."  

Elizabeth had threatened to exterminate my entire family line.  

My parents, living peacefully in Berga, could very well be taken hostage. Miless’s family, too, was in danger.  

Miless is the daughter of a minor lord in the Sirene region. While they have guards, they’re essentially farmers who double as soldiers—hardly reliable in the face of Elizabeth’s hired mercenaries.  

If Elizabeth sent troops, Miless’s family wouldn’t stand a chance.  

Neither would my parents.  

Berga is a quiet, rural town. Its modest security force could never withstand professional mercenaries.  

For that reason, I deployed Edim’s vampire battalion to serve as protection.  

Honestly, I didn’t want to divide our forces, but I couldn’t allow harm to come to our hometowns. Darf even bent the rules to ensure perfect security measures.  

### **Miless’s Advice #2:**  

"Gather your forces. However, avoid direct confrontation if possible and prioritize evacuation with your family."  

Miless’s strategy was clear: avoid a head-on clash with the Baccio Special Forces at all costs. Even in combat, we were to remain defensive.  

Miless knew the extent of the threat posed by Baccio better than anyone. She detailed the risks so thoroughly that I nearly broke down.  

I seriously considered running away with Timu.  

I thought about meeting up with my parents and starting a new life somewhere far away, where no one could find us.  

But leaving wasn’t that simple.  

Our life in the capital was too entrenched. From kind neighbors like Millee to our loyal patrons and the chaotic but devoted members of the Evil God Army—they all mattered too much to just abandon.  

And the biggest problem?  

If Timu and I disappeared, Elizabeth would stop at nothing to find us. She might burn down the West Street district or even our hometown of Berga in her search.  

The woman was deranged enough to kill someone over a misplaced hanger. There’s no doubt she’d slaughter innocents to get what she wanted.  

Damn it. How can someone have such a low boiling point?  

Running wasn’t an option. Even Miless acknowledged that, though she didn’t demand we evacuate at all costs.  

Still, she looked me in the eyes and said gently:  

"If it comes down to it, take Timu and run. I just want you both to be happy."  

Her words broke me.  

I couldn’t stop the tears. I hugged Miless tightly, thanking her over and over.  

Timu deserves to be happy. That much is obvious. I won’t let this absurd situation take her life.  

But Miless deserves happiness, too.  

This kind, brave girl doesn’t deserve to suffer for such an unfair reason!  

Miless even said she’d die to stop Elizabeth.  

But I won’t abandon her.  

That’s why I started thinking seriously about **"gathering our forces."**  

### **Potential Allies:**  

1. **Edim and her vampire subordinates**  

2. **Myuhhen Bo Eret, the charismatic adventurer**  

3. **Friendly adventurers like Maira**  

4. **Remilia, captain of the security forces and a descendant of heroes, along with her troops**  

5. **Rosetta Pratolina and the loyal members of the Demon Extermination Society**  

6. **Oru’s family, a shadowy organization led by the Dark Lord**  

7. **The members of the Evil God Army**  

When you look at it like this, we have a pretty decent lineup.  

**① Edim’s Vampire Forces**  

Our strongest asset.  

That’s why I assigned them to protect our families.  

Only Edim herself remains, serving as Timu’s personal bodyguard.  

**② Myuhhen Bo Eret**  

The guardian deity of the Evil God Army.  

If Edim is the strongest in terms of numbers, Myuhhen is the strongest individual combatant.  

One of our army’s top two warriors.  

He’s currently out, but I hope he returns soon. Once he’s back, I’ll entrust all defense operations to him.  

**③ Friendly Adventurers**  

Maira is always calling me her "bride," so I’m sure she’ll help. Time to visit the Adventurers’ Guild and recruit some allies!  

Or so I thought.  

"Yaaah!"  

I fled the Adventurers’ Guild in a panic, bolting as fast as I could.  

Inside were none other than the muscle-bound brutes I can’t stand.  

As expected, they started pestering me the moment I walked in, so I turned tail and ran.  

"Damn fools! Don’t waste my time in a crisis like this!"  

I shouted at the guild as I ran.  

"You wanna die, punk?!"  

They heard me.  

The door slammed open, and they started chasing me.  

What terrible luck.  

Maira wasn’t even there, nor were any of the friendlier adventurers.  

Fine. Moving on to Plans **④** and **⑤**.  

I headed for the security forces’ station and Rosetta’s family estate.  

And let me just say:  

This is bad. Really bad.

To cut to the chase, Plans ④ and ⑤ turned out to be no better than Plan ③.

Remilia, Rosetta, and all the other helpful allies were away on expeditions outside the royal capital.

Could my luck get any worse?

I must be cursed.

This leaves Plan ⑥, but… I think I’ll pass on that for now.

Oru always dodges the topic by spouting cryptic “Mamila”-like gibberish. I still don’t fully understand who Oru’s father is.

I do know he’s indulgent toward his son, but does that mean he’d unconditionally help us? What if he only saves Oru and leaves us commoners to fend for ourselves?

Oru rarely talks about his family, and even when he does, it’s in incomprehensible middle-school-level jargon.

I can’t shake the feeling that Oru’s family is ridiculously wealthy, potentially with a few skeletons in their closet. There’s even a chance they’re secretly allied with Elizabeth, another high-ranking noble.

I can’t risk stirring the pot and pushing them to side with the enemy.

Plan ⑥ is on hold.

So far, only Plans ① and ② seem viable.

This was unexpected. Gathering forces is harder than I thought.

What should I do now?

I’m desperate enough to consider borrowing a cat’s paw for help.

A cat’s paw…

Or maybe something even less useful—Plan ⑦. Let’s evaluate it.

The positives first: loyalty.

Despite knowing about the impending attack by the Baccio Special Forces, not a single member of the Evil God Army has abandoned me or Timu.

For that, I’m genuinely grateful. It’s touching.

They’re good people.

I want to stay friends with them forever.

But loyalty alone isn’t enough.

They’re weak, yet they have a suicidal tendency to charge headlong into danger.

If Baccio’s forces attack, they’ll undoubtedly rush in, only to be wiped out.

No, they’re not viable as a fighting force.

Frankly, I’d like to lock them all up somewhere safe. Just keeping them in check is a mental strain.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how woefully short we are on competent forces.

There are so many allies I’d counted on who just aren’t available.

Is there anyone else?

Wait… Miless did say something odd earlier. She mentioned the Evil God Army as if they were professional soldiers.

I wanted to ask her more, but...

“Tilea-san, I’m so sorry. I’m too… sleepy… I can’t stay awake anymore,” she said before drifting off again.

Poor thing. She looked utterly exhausted, half-lidded and weary.

Miless had mentioned experiencing magic depletion before but said this time was the worst. Her escape from Elizabeth’s mansion must have been harrowing.

According to Timu, it was because of excessive use of dark magic.

Enough with the dark magic excuses, Timu!

I remembered Timu muttering, “Using dark magic as a human was bound to fail. I suppose I’ll have to make some modifications…”

Timu, the weirdo, and everyone else are all like this.

Stuck in a world of their own middle-school fantasies.

Miless can’t truly rest in this environment. For now, she’s safe here, since we don’t know where Elizabeth’s spies might be lurking.

Once things settle down, I’ll have a proper doctor examine her.

Watching her sleep peacefully, I resolved not to push her any further.

Now, about this claim that the Evil God Army is full of pros...

Maybe Miless was just sleep-talking.

But wait. Could there be something to this?

The Evil God Army does have numbers.

Perhaps there are a few diamonds in the rough—people with actual military potential.

I know most of their faces and names, but I’ve only exchanged a few words with some. Maybe there are hidden talents among them, like Myuhhen.

I’m not expecting much, but it’s worth checking.

"Know yourself, and know your enemy; in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril."

I decided to assess the strength of Plan ⑦.

Even if I don’t find someone like Myuhhen, a level-headed individual capable of keeping the others in line would be invaluable.

Otherwise, the chaos of managing them will make gathering forces impossible.

I returned to the shop and descended the Underground Empire’s stairs.

I started interviewing members one by one.

I must have spoken to several dozen, from rank-and-file soldiers to higher-ups.

And they were all the same.

No sense of urgency. Just a collection of delusional middle-school fantasies.

I was seriously considering isolating the lot of them when I heard a sharp swish cutting through the air.

Someone was training in the practice room.

The sound of a weapon slicing through the air was accompanied by spirited shouts.

Oh! Someone’s taking this seriously!

Finally, someone with enough awareness to prepare for the looming threat of Baccio’s forces.

Even if their training doesn’t amount to much, it’s commendable that they’re showing a sense of urgency.

Curious, I peeked through the practice room window.

Inside, I saw a girl fervently swinging a knife from side to side, her face etched with determination.

That’s… Shiki-chan.

She’s one of the defectors from the Six Demon Generals and was captured during the weirdo’s cleanup operation.

She initially refused to pledge loyalty but recently swore allegiance for the sake of her commander’s heir.

When I heard about it, all I could say was, “Oh… I see.”

I don’t mind. Everyone in the Evil God Army seems to have some overly dramatic backstory.

It’s astonishing how much effort they put into these middle-school-level narratives, but I’ve learned to roll with it.

So, Shiki-chan is part of what we call the "Defector Group," former subordinates of the Six Demon Generals who switched sides.

My motto is "accept everyone."

Even newcomers like her should feel welcome.

That said, the Defector Group is often viewed as outsiders by Camilla’s original subordinates, who consider themselves the core members.

They aren’t treated as badly as Oru, but they still struggle to gain trust and respect.

I’ve been trying to bridge the gap by assigning them to joint missions and ensuring they get proper recognition for their accomplishments.

This effort has helped ease tensions over time.

Shiki-chan, for instance, was distant at first, giving me only obligatory greetings without even meeting my gaze.

But that all changed when she won the "Evil God’s Most Meritorious Award" for the month.

This award goes to the member who earns the most merit points for contributions like missions or fundraising.

As the recipient, she received a custom knife crafted from Evil God Gold as a reward.

Normally expressionless, Shiki-chan was overjoyed, her face lighting up with a rare smile as she practically jumped for joy.

Her affection points toward me skyrocketed.

(Oru, meanwhile, bit his handkerchief in frustration.)

Since then, Shiki-chan has become a close friend.

It seems gifts are universally effective at winning favor.

Still, there’s one peculiar rumor I’ve heard:

Apparently, Shiki-chan never lets go of the knife I gave her—not while eating, bathing, or even sleeping.

I thought, *There’s no way she’s that attached to it.*  

It’s just a knife made by an amateur like me, not a master blacksmith. There’s no reason to get so worked up over a glorified toy.  

But watching Shiki-chan brandish that knife with such an intense, almost desperate expression... the rumors might actually be true.  

Well, let’s confirm her status as a potential ally.  

"Hey, Shiki-chan!"  

She quickly sheathed her knife and responded, "Ah, Tirea-sama."  

"You’re working hard, aren’t you?"  

"Of course, Tirea-sama. You bestowed upon me a glorious treasure. I wield it every day."  

"O-oh, I see..."  

"Indeed. The more I practice, the more I feel I am becoming one with this sacred blade."  

"Um... Shiki-chan, you don’t carry that knife with you *all the time*, do you? You’re not saying you even sleep with it, are you?"  

"I do, of course. I never part with it."  

So the rumors are true.  

I need to address this before something bad happens.  

"Look, I’m thrilled you like the gift, but it’s probably not the best idea to sleep with it. You could accidentally hurt yourself."  

"You’re absolutely right, Tirea-sama. I won’t hide it—at first, it felt like the blade rejected me. I’ve been stabbed by this treasure more than once in my sleep."  

"Wait, stabbed?!"  

"Yes. My inexperience must have made the sacred blade reluctant to accept me as its master."  

Why is she talking like the knife has a mind of its own?  

What she’s really saying is that she accidentally cut herself in her sleep.  

"That’s what I was warning you about! It’s dangerous to sleep with it. Keep it somewhere safe at night."  

"But that’s the thing!" she exclaimed. "After grueling training that nearly cost me my blood, I’ve noticed it doesn’t stab me anymore. The blade has finally acknowledged me as its rightful master!"  

Shiki-chan, her face alight with pure joy, rubbed her cheek against the sheathed knife.  

*Yeah… this is creepy.*  

Honestly, she’s gone completely off the deep end.  

I knew these people loved weapons, which is why I gave her one as a reward.  

...In hindsight, maybe not my smartest move.  

At this rate, she’ll probably start licking the blade or something.  

"So, all that training with the knife—was it to earn its recognition?"  

"Exactly!"  

"Not because the Baccio Special Forces are coming?"  

"Oh, there’s that too. I’ll use this sacred blade to reduce the vile insects who dare oppose you, Tirea-sama, into nothing but dust on the earth. I can’t wait to cut them. I’m so excited!"  

She gleefully stroked the blade, a wide grin on her face.  

*And here I thought she might be different… Nope. She’s just like the others.*  

Shiki-chan is another hopeless case—a pure, 100% middle-school syndrome patient.  

I can already picture her charging into the Baccio Special Forces with nothing but that knife.  

This is bad. I have to stop her, or she’ll get herself killed.  

"Shiki-chan, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but using that knife in battle is just not feasible, okay?"  

I pointed at her knife to emphasize my point.  

"I understand," she replied. "Those lesser pests are unworthy of revealing the true potential of this sacred blade. But still... still, I want to test its sharpness so badly!"  

Shiki-chan, now panting and wide-eyed, kept muttering, "I want to cut. I want to cut!"  

...Sure, I take pride in that knife. It’s well-crafted for an amateur.  

Honestly, it looks polished enough to sell in a hardware store.  

But let’s be real—it’s just a **letter opener**.  

What does she expect it to do? I didn’t enchant it or anything!  

"Shiki-chan, I hate to burst your bubble, but that knife is for cutting *paper*. Nothing more, okay?"  

"Ah, so that’s what it is—‘kami kiri’ (paper cutter). I see now. It’s not for mere flies; it’s worthy of only divine tasks. I wouldn’t dare sully its name as the God Knife!"  

O-oh... That’s the interpretation she’s going with?  

Is she joking, or is she serious? With middle-school syndrome, you can never tell.  

"*Haaah~* So this sacred blade is the God Knife… but alas, even God is dead. Its true potential will never be realized."  

*Okay, Nietzsche.*  

The real tragedy here is her brain.  

What if a priest overheard her? They’d excommunicate her on the spot.  

I had held out hope that Shiki-chan was different.  

She’s beautiful, with striking Eastern features and flowing black hair that could turn heads wherever she goes.  

Such a waste!  

She might actually be more unhinged than the others, given her obsession with weapons.  

Disappointed, I left the training room.  

But I wasn’t ready to give up yet.  

I continued talking to the other subordinates.  

Without exception, they all oozed confidence.  

"I can’t wait to swing my blade!"  

"I’m claiming Baccio’s head for myself!"  

"If there’s a living God, I’ll kill Him too!"  

(By the way, that last one was Shiki-chan again.)  

She was the most unhinged of them all.  

No one seemed remotely tense.  

Everyone was relaxed, even cheerful—acting as if this were a game.  

*What’s with this carefree attitude?!*  

Do they understand this isn’t some roleplay?  

This is real. People can die.  

And yet they’re all smiles and jokes.  

*Is this what they call “gamer brain”?*  

Honestly, I’m starting to feel like the idiot for being the only one worried.  

To clear my head, I went outside to get some fresh air.  

Climbing the stairs from the Underground Empire, I stepped into the streets.  

As I wandered, trying to plan my next move, the noise around me grew louder.  

The West Street was bustling with commotion.  

What’s going on?  

Curious, I approached the crowd.