Makai Hongi

Apparently, Corps Commander Baltasar had a bone to pick with me.

“Did I do something to offend you?”

Of course, I had a skill that allowed me to lightly brush off such remarks.
And so I replied calmly.

I was capable of considering the thoughts of others, and handling them gently.
It was a good skill for a man to have, if I do say so myself.

“Hmph.
My words would be wasted on you muscle-headed Ogres.”
He was quite angry.

“Hmm.”
He thought that I could barely understand what he was saying.

And so I recalled what Baltasar had said.
Something about ‘taking everything literally.’

It was about this trade that General Miralda had suggested–the trading of troops.
‘They are fools for actually coming here.
They’ll only get in the way, and so they should have stayed home.’ That’s what he wanted to say.

The reason for this trade.
It was because General Miralda couldn’t just offer her men to another country without permission.
And perhaps she didn’t feel comfortable discussing it with the Demon King or even the other Generals.

After all, these were all men that Demon King Tralzard had entrusted her with.
This was why General Miralda had opted for a temporary trade instead.

At least on paper, the conditions were the same, and no one had the advantage.
She would not have to justify anything.

Both General Farneze and General Miralda wanted to put an end to Lesser Demon King Leninoth’s dominance.
And since their interests matched, this exchange was the perfect way to settle things.

However, the men that my country were offering…were honestly quite weak.
If we were strong, then we would have been sent to fight Leninoth instead.

It was because we couldn’t do that, that General Miralda had to help us.

On the other hand, Corps Commander Baltasar was feeling both disappointment and rage at the idea of ‘useless’ troops coming to them.
I understood that feeling.
I really did.
If we were just going to get in their way, we shouldn’t have come at all.
So, why were we here? That’s what he wanted to say.

And so I answered him with a feeling of kindness.

“I obey the orders that come from above.
Objecting to that order would not only be a slight against my superiors, but the decision of both our countries.
And so I’m asking you to…”
“You talk too much, fool.”

Yes, I wasn’t getting through.
It could not be helped.
And so I continued to smile.
If the papers said that we were going to trade troops, well, we had no choice but to send troops.
Miralda was well aware that we wouldn’t be of much use.

Besides, there was a reason that General Miralda hadn’t said, ‘they will be no use to me, so you don’t actually have to send them.’ Indeed, there was.

The Ogres and Reapers worked directly under General Farneze.
The young Flying Eagles had no experience in battle, but they were representatives of the next generation.
As for the most useless, the Vampires.
Well, they were spoiled, but they came from good stock.
In a way, they were those she didn’t want to lose.
At least, for political purposes.

In other words, we were almost like hostages to ensure that Miralda’s men were not crushed from ill-use or involved in any hidden schemes.

And while we still weren’t a particularly strong deterrent, it was better than nothing.
And that had a big effect on the way we were seen by General Miralda’s men.

Baltasar, who objected as if he understood everything, was the one who really didn’t understand.

“In the first place, what are you so angry about? If you hate us, why not leave us alone?”
We weren’t in the same corps.
And so it shouldn’t be too hard for him to avoid us if he wanted to.

“I didn’t believe my ears when I first heard that your joke of a corps was going to come here.
Why should we be on the frontlines when you’re in the main camp!”
Baltasar said as he slammed his fist onto the table.
I didn’t bother to stop myself from sighing audibly.

“…You really don’t get it.”
“What?”

Judging by what he had just said, Dyle and Baltasar’s positions had been changed.
So now Dyle would be here, training us.
There was nothing wrong with that.

Being ahead of the main camp—protecting the frontlines.
That was proof that Miralda trusted them.

It was a place where you had to make very severe decisions, like when and where to move to support the others.
This was Nehyor they were up against.
He appeared and disappeared without a trace, and no one knew where he would go next.
He may very well target the main camp directly.

In Baltasar’s position, he would have to make decisions by himself.
He was very important.
And yet he was angry about that… He didn’t understand anything.

“While guarding the main camp is an important role, and we are honored, we will not be moved anywhere.
We cannot be moved.
Because it’s our job to stay here.”
“Why should I care?”

“Corps Commander Dyle will have to train us.
So it only makes sense that he should stay here.”

In terms of trust, Baltasar was above him.
However, he had complained and had his position changed.

And they couldn’t have all three of them on the frontlines, and so Corps Commander Dyle had to be moved to a place that was both important and stressful.
Not only that, but he had to train us as well.
That made it quite a black working environment.

Perhaps Miralda had allowed it because she knew that Baltasar was unable to see the bigger picture.
If he didn’t understand the meaning of that difficult position, then there was no point in sending him there.

‘Ahhh, shit’ was what I was thinking when I sighed.

“You damned Ogre!”
Baltasar said as he got to his feet.