"What? The hero showed up where Jilbe is? That’s impossible!"
‘Jilbe, you’re in the Nasgara Plains right now, right? Why is the hero in such a place!?’
Jilbe’s unit had been sent on an expedition to the Nasgara Plains. While it was close to the human territory, the plains were a largely undeveloped area with no human or demon settlements nearby. It was chosen because the possibility of human interference was low.
‘Yeah, it’s the Nasgara Plains, no mistake! I’d like to know why that damn hero is here as much as you do!’
‘Are you certain it’s the real hero?’
‘No doubt about it! The guy’s alone, but the power coming off him is insane! Damn it, my men are getting blown away. I’m heading out now!’
Damn it! Why is the hero there of all places?!
I’ve never been to the Nasgara Plains, so I can’t use teleportation magic to go there directly.
The only option is to teleport to the closest point and use wind magic to fly there as fast as I can. Once I meet up with Jilbe, I’ll use teleportation magic to bring them back to the Demon Lord’s Castle, gather the others, and return to face the hero… But will that even work in time?
‘Wait, Jilbe! We’re preparing to intercept the hero here. Don’t engage! Pull your troops back immediately!’
‘The bastard’s just walking toward us at a leisurely pace. No worries, I can handle this guy by myself!’
Damn it, what is Jilbe thinking at a time like this?
‘Just listen to me! Pull back with your troops now!’
Even though Jilbe is strong, the hero defeated the previous Demon Lord. If Jilbe couldn’t beat the Demon Lord, there’s no way he can take on the hero alone.
I pull out the map and locate the Nasgara Plains. The closest teleportation point is… here. From there, I can fly toward Mount Nasgara.
‘…Sorry, but I can’t do that.’
‘What did you say?! This is an order! Pull back now!’
Why is Jilbe being so stubborn? We could retreat now and face the hero when we’re better prepared!
‘My men who got blown away by that hero are still alive. I’m not leaving them behind!’
Damn it. Knowing Jilbe, he won’t abandon his comrades.
‘…I swore I’d never abandon the ones I care about and run away again!’
‘...’
That’s right... Jilbe escaped human persecution, protected by his family and village. He’s driven himself to grow stronger, vowing never to experience such loss again.
‘Fine. Evacuate as many of your men as you can. Even if you can’t beat the hero, just hold out until I arrive!’
‘Damn, you’re as soft as ever. Got it. I don’t plan on dying pointlessly, either. …Well, the rest is up to you.’
‘Wait, Jilbe—!’
The telepathic link cuts off.
Damn it, what’s with those ominous words?
"Teleport!"
I use teleportation magic to the closest point near the Nasgara Plains.
"Mount Nasgara is that way, which means… over there!"
I activate wind magic to fly as fast as possible toward the plains.
‘Debra, do you copy?’
‘Yes, Demon Lord. Loud and clear.’
‘We’ve got an emergency! The hero has already shown up!’
‘What?! That’s way too soon!’
‘The hero might have teleportation magic, or maybe Sandor fed us false information, or the Empire misled him. I don’t know! But Jilbe’s unit is already engaging the hero at Nasgara Plains!’
‘Please stay calm, Demon Lord. If the humans aimed to ambush us, they wouldn’t have tipped us off like this. It’s unlikely that anyone betrayed us.’
...True. If Sandor had betrayed us, he would’ve chosen a more effective way to do so.
Damn it, this sudden turn of events has me panicking.
‘I get it. I’ll calm down. I’m heading to Nasgara Plains as fast as I can. Debra, stick to the plan and gather everyone! Once I reach Jilbe, I’ll extract them and bring them back to the castle!’
‘Understood!’
Damn it! Are Jilbe and his men already fighting the hero? I should’ve established telepathic links with more of them!
I just have to get there as fast as I can!
"There! The Nasgara Plains are just ahead! …Wait, what’s that?!"
As I approach the plains, I see a golden pillar of light piercing the sky.
"That’s where Jilbe and the others are!"
Please, let me make it in time!