Chapter 456
The next day after occupying the Edina Archipelago.
I thought that almost half of the vassals and soldiers would run away.
What was very surprising was the fact that there were less than 10 people who rejected me and disappeared.
The country was stolen by the demon king.
For Edina royals, that would be deprivation.
However, for vassals, soldiers, and citizens, it would have a different meaning.
The weak royal family disappeared, and the absolute demon king sat in its place.
And this is an island.
There is nowhere to go even if you run away. Going out to the continent by sailing the sea is possible only for the experienced captain and sailors.
So, although they are afraid of the new demon king, there was no option other than to remain in the hope that he would not be as fearful as the public perception rather than rejecting it.
As such, most of the royal vassals and troops had few deserters. Then, where did those who disappeared go? I was rather curious about that.
In front of me sitting on the throne, the employee of the Royal Management Office, who was in charge of repairing the damage, began to speak tremblingly.
A few houses were destroyed, some people were killed, how many people lost their homes because of it, and there was talk about the relief supplies in the city.
To be honest, I didn’t hear it properly.
I am weak with numbers.
As those countless deaths are replaced by numbers, I find the arrangement of those numbers more complicated than sad.
“Yes, is it possible to provide enough relief goods to refugees?”
“If we start supplying relief supplies right away, we will be able to hold on, but there are not enough facilities to accommodate refugees. Because the season is good, they won’t freeze to death… … . Winter won’t come until the massive renovation work is over… … . It is an unknown situation.”
Edina Kingdom’s vassals and soldiers, as well as my own people, were present in this place.
Harriet and Airi were standing on either side of me, and Eleris was behind me, except for Galarche and Lruen, who were away.
Liana was sleeping, saying she didn’t know about running the state, and Olivia said she didn’t like helping people, but she was on her way to downtown Razak to treat the injured, as if she’d do it because I wanted it.
“How many refugees are there?”
“About eight thousand.”
eight thousand people.
Eight thousand people who have no place to stay. However, the person in charge reported that more than 45,000 people actually needed help, five times that number.
It seems like a large number, but if we had been a little bit later, the eight thousand who had lost their place to live could have turned into forty-five thousand.
“I think we should set up a large-scale refugee camp on the outskirts of the city… … .”
The vassals’ expressions darkened.
I know it’s something I have to do, but is it really that easy?
Just thinking about feeding and sleeping 8,000 people is far-fetched.
Even if you rob all of the royal property to feed it, there is a limit in the end.
I don’t know whether they believe it or not, but I can’t do intercontinental trade. Therefore, it is impossible to import materials and food.
and construction period.
If the refugees cannot be provided with warm beds before winter arrives, they will all freeze to death.
food, home.
Food, clothing, and shelter is a problem for individuals as well, but as the scale grows, it has no choice but to become a headache as if it will make your head fall out.
“Elleris, how did the house-making magic go?”
“I think I need to work on it a little more, but… … . We can probably get a draft in two days.”
The conversation I was having with Elerith on the throne made everyone look bewildered.
house magic.
In the first place, being a wizard is an extremely rare resource.
Since it was a temple, there were so many aspiring wizards that they were run over by their feet.
So, even if the problems that arise in the southernmost part of this continent can be solved with magic, since magicians are extremely rare and the level is obvious, it is impossible to do anything with magic.
Since Temple has collected talented people from all over the continent, it is inevitable that everything will feel common.
Just like the knight commander or guard captain was overpowered by my sword, it is very difficult to enjoy the benefits of magic here.
“Even if you build a house, you need materials first. How do you get enough of that?”
“There were a lot of trees. You can cut it down and use it, and even if you don’t have it, you can make up for the wood with magic that interferes with the natural world, so I don’t think you need to worry about that part.”
“Manpower?”
“I think I can do it on my own.”
At the wizard’s remark that he will make a temporary house alone to accommodate the 8,000 refugees who are in need right now, the expressions of the retainers all start to become distraught.
The problems that the royal vassals struggle with are solved by a single magician.
First of all, I have three Lord Vampires. All of them have already reached the level of archmages.
And to my right is Harriet, who can use magic that even they couldn’t imagine.
Magic can be the answer to most problems.
However, it is only important that there are extremely few people who benefit from magic.
And it’s bound to be even more rare to benefit from archmages who can do this.
The people of the archipelago will know that my reign will only be a blessing in less than a week.
“What are you playing with?”
I laugh at the dumbfounded vassals.
“I am the Demon King.”
I started to rule them with fear, but I don’t intend to incite fear on purpose.
Because there’s no reason why
“No matter what you imagine, you will see more.”
in several senses.
* * *
I decided to do what I could.
Of course, there is no such thing as a grandiose goal of creating a very fair and perfect country for its citizens.
I will build a country where I can do what I want to do, a country where I can do what I want to do.
As a result, I wish people peace and well-being, but the fact that I am a dictator never changes.
If need be, I will conscript them, take the property of the citizens, and if it is necessary, I will make them act at my command.
The first thing I did was occupy the Edina Islands.
The gate debacle was initially settled, but emergency measures for the four affected ports must take precedence.
And the next step is done at the same time.
The reason I chose Edina Islands as a base is because it is a place that is not affected by gate incidents on the continent as long as you defeat the four gates here.
Countless cities will be destroyed and people will perish, and a great deal of the land will be left uninhabited by monsters.
There are also numerous towns and cities without gates.
They take extra damage as the monsters in the gate spread.
It is difficult to keep such places. The monsters will keep pouring in and my forces will be replenished soon but are limited.
So, the next goal is to rescue people from the continent and move them to the Edina Archipelago.
Cities, villages, and monsters that are about to collapse at any moment, rescue survivors who survived, and relocate people to the Edina Archipelago, which is free from the effects of the Gate Avalanche.
The warp gate system cannot be used.
So we have to physically move people.
Next, I summoned the owners of the large fleet remaining in the Edina Islands.
The expressions of the shipowners who saw that the throne of the Edina Archipelago became the Demon King’s were, of course, tinged with astonishment.
“As the owner of the Edina Archipelago and the king of the Devil World, I will requisition all ships, captains, and crew as of the present time.”
If you think that I will only be a good monarch, you are mistaken.
I will take it away if need be.
“If you have any objections, speak up.”
Not an ordinary king, but a demon with horns.
Archdemon.
I will take full advantage of the fear that comes from my name.
You will fantasize wildly that if you refuse my orders, you may face something worse than death.
That imagination also helps my control.
Naturally, everyone was terrified and trembling, but no one objected.
“First we organize three fleets. The purpose of each fleet is to accept refugees from the three damaged ports and relocate them here, to Razak.”
The owners of the fleet all turned pale because they were all about to be eaten alive, but when my vassals told me that I was doing such a thing to accommodate the refugees, they all nodded.
“And organize the largest fleet to head to the continent.”
According to my words, the expression of the vassals became bizarre when I heard that they were heading to the continent that had already become hell.
“Soon, my armies will cross the ocean and come here. The fleets will be tasked with periodically transporting the people of the continent and my troops to and from the continent.”
Galarsh is now on his way to the base of the Gelcorgis Desert to rally the demonists.
You can’t move them all with mass teleport.
That’s why I will organize a large fleet and move them to the Edina Archipelago and place them under my care.
There is no way that the archipelago will explode with people.
Fortunately, there are many uninhabited islands in the Edina Archipelago.
lots of land
So, all you have to do is make it a place where people can live through clearing and pioneering.
A place where you can avoid the catastrophe of the continent and live without worrying about monsters.
The Edina Islands will be a refuge for people.
“In the long term, the empty uninhabited islands of the Edina Archipelago will also be made habitable by expansion and reclamation.”
It may be possible to turn a small island nation in the south into a great country in a temporary refugee camp.
However, I hope this island area far from the mainland can be a shelter for people to hide from danger.
I want it, and I will make it happen.
And that’s not all.
demons of the periphery.
They won’t be directly affected by this gate debacle, but they may be affected in the long run.
I will have to proceed with the work of subjugating them and incorporating them into my forces.
And a port connecting the Edina Islands and the continent.
There must have been a gate crisis in that port, so we need to start taking action there as well.
Organize an army to carry out work to eliminate the monsters that overflow the continent, and base the continent’s port.
There was a lot to do.
too.
Too many.
* * *
A city that has become ruins, in the middle of it.
-Poo-wook
Atop a mountain of corpses, Ellen Artorius drew her sword.
Ellen slowly stood up, suffocating the last monster, in the mountain of huge chunks of meat created by intertwining human and monster corpses.
Atop a mountain of corpses, Ellen looks around.
Between the burned down buildings, the Imperial Army was just finishing the battle.
After descending the mountain of corpses, Ellen puts Lament into her scabbard and adjusts the collar of her cloak.
There was awe and respect, admiration and fear in the eyes of the soldiers watching Ellen come down from below.
As the advance guard, he entered the ruined big city alone, slaughtered dangerous monsters alone, and fought in cooperation with the main unit.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that she alone carried out the operation to exterminate the monsters in the city.
“Ah, are you okay, hero? … ?”
“yes.”
Ellen nodded with a cold, aloof attitude that seemed like a toothpick wouldn’t fit.
From afar, someone approached Ellen.
“Are you okay? Aren’t you supposed to get some rest? You haven’t slept for days already.”
It was Ellen’s classmate, Heinrich von Schwarz. Ellen shook her head at her younger classmate’s words of concern.
“… … are you okay.”
Heinrich, who has the ability of pyrokinesis, had to incinerate corpses from now on after the battle, so he left a message to close his eyes while he had time and headed somewhere.
Due to the circumstances of the empire, which is a pity for one person, in this crisis situation, the combatable combat students of the temple were being put into various parts of the continent for an operation to exterminate the monster.
Countless soldiers, knights, and students died.
For the sin of not trusting the demon lord, humanity was paying a heavy price.
Two years after the Gate Incident.
Yet, mankind has not reclaimed all the land.
Having seen too many deaths, Ellen’s eyes were empty, having become accustomed to the deaths of monsters and allies.
At one end of the burning city, Ellen saw refugees carrying bundles moving along the soldiers’ guidance.
“Survivors… … . Was there?”
At Ellen’s question, the soldiers tilted their heads. The survivors couldn’t have survived this long in a city that was already in ruins.
“They are refugees, not survivors. They said they found it on the outskirts of town.”
“ah… … .”
“They say strange things.”
“… … Strange sound?”
At Ellen’s question, the soldier put on an ambiguous expression.
“Yes, there is a paradise if you go south… … . So I was on my way south… … .”
Paradise.
Ellen looked around.
Burning streets, mountains full of corpses.
Soldiers and knights who didn’t even vomit anymore when they saw the deaths everywhere, because they were so used to those corpses.
Hell is temporal, and people have become inhabitants of hell, accustomed to it.
Does this mean that paradise is somewhere in this hell?
It’s no different than destroying a world that might have been a paradise up until now.
Where in this world can you find paradise and rest?
The world is full of despair, and people are starting to believe strange things. There might be hope somewhere.
Ellen is the one responsible for this hell.
That’s why I couldn’t rest.
He did not believe in a non-existent paradise, but that his only role was to erase hell from the world little by little.
Thinking so, Ellen left in search of the next mission.
