A4P3: Battle and negotiation

„Hikari keep princess safe, I’m gonna stir some disturbances inside their ranks.“

„What are you planning Milord?“

„Just kill some officials in their base camp… damn I sound more and more like a demon lord ...wait no, that’s from my former job,“ I added silently.

I let my wings out and head to the skies.

There was about two thousand orks. The city looked like it could hold sixteen hundread people at most.

Not good for Ogres, still there is less orks than I thought there would be. Seems like fifty ogres holds front gate and about sixty are placed at three remaining gates.

„Still they managed hold their place this long… The heck?“

What I saw was madness. Don’t get me wrong, Gnolls are B-rank same as Orks, but why? Why are they this strong?!

Nineteen gnolls completly wiped out force at nearest gate and moved toward west gate.

Lizzie and Yuki blasted one spell after another… scary combination. Lizzie boosted Yukis power more than 16 times. With every spell at least ten orks died instantly and another ten was gravely injured. The shaman was mumbleing and when he stopped, all blood flown from ork bodies and headed right into the amphora he was holding.

„I should get into work as well.“

Fifteen tents were stationed at meadow near the town. Most tents was acomodation for soldiers, at least one-houndread-and-fifty per tent. In middle were two tents with diferent colors. One was for field kitchen and the other was for leaders.

As I silently flown down to the tent I started to hear voices.

„Your highness, I belive that within two days we will win this long battle.“

„You better do! Out of our ten thousand we have only three left! Two on the field and one as backup. This would normaly never happened, but you just had to let that girl escape and let her call for friends! You know how much trouble you are giving me?!“

„Y-your highness, I-I would never…“

„Well what do we have here, prince of ork kingdom I asume?“ I said jokingly.

„A-and who the hell are you?“ One of the generals said and with fear in his eyes he pull his sword.

„Your death.“ I said and used thread control to cut his head off.

Rest of the generals started to pull their swords out as well as they stand near the prince.

„State your name! You are in presence of third prince of Great Ork kingdom Guruk Hias Ogur, himself!“ the prince shouted.

„In place I came from that is called useless spare.“

„How dare you! Behead him!“

In that moment heads of all seven generals rolled on ground.

„As you wish prince,“ I said with wicked smile, „Everyones heads are rolling on the ground. Now. I will massacre this punny army of yours and then destroy your kingdom. What do you say? Are you happy? I mean, everyones heads will be rolling just as you requested!“

„Wh-who the hell are you? A demon?“

„Close. I am Demon lord of assassination, Zaru.“

„D-d-d-d-demon lord?“

I sperad my threads and tied him up. After that I set the camp on fire.

Orks went into chaos. And in that moment I used another spell to stop the fire. I was hovering in air and the orks eyes were on me and prince in my hands.

„Listen to me orks! Your generals are dead! Prince will follow them soon after. But becouse I’m benevolent Demon lord I will give you one chance to submit to me! Now fell on one knee or DIE!“

Orks in camp one after another fell to one knee. Even though few tried to resist, their rolling heads made those around them kneel even faster.

After everyone present (about nine houndread orks) was on one knee, I used mass teleportation and returned to the dungeons second floor, Jungle maze and ordered Gurako and Kesugi to watch over those orks.

After that I drunk five mana potions. One potion restore about houndread MPs, still I feel really slugish. It took more that I thought.

Later I retuned to the siege side, through the entry I made.

„Ah… They really did it… it really was a massacre…“

All orks at all gates were defeated. Altough some escaped, gnolls were chasing them.

„Master Zaru all we coud do was capture five orks and… is that leader of orks?“

„Yeah… I thought that he could be good gift for king of ogres.“

„That was amazing darling!“ Lizzie smiled happily and hugged me.

„Sir Zaru… that was… that was your elite group of soldiers right?“ Yama asked.

No, I just summoned them few hours ago… ...Like I could say that!

„Yes, they are my bodyguards after all“ I lied.

„You should see Kaen or Haba, they are mu…“

„Miss Yuki I am here you know?“ Haba interupted.

„How did it go?“

„Yes! I told one of the guards, after the clean up, that we are forces that princess Yama brought with her.“ She said and winked at me, aparently there was more to the story.

„Okay, then we should go meet the ogres. Miss Yama, would you mind go first with Yuki and Shaman?“

At that moment Zipzap came back and through mental link between me, his summoner, and him, he showed me retreating army of about seven thousand strong.

„So there really was 10,000 people army… we got lucky that most of them retreated before we came.“

„Wow, really? That is really lucky!“

„Yes. Now Haba, what is your opinion on ogre kingdom, should we help them?“

„I think that we can safely say that they don’t like miss Yama. So helping them isn't likely as I am sure that they would try to use us... maybe we could use them to boost our reputation and then take over them instead“

„Yeah, we can do that, but more importantly, why they don't like Yama?“

„She is half-ogre half-human. Seems like King had affair in the past and she is what came from it. But her mother died so her father took his daughter in, and by that he made his official wife angry. Yet she acted as her mother for few years.“

„I see, the queen started to lower her standing at court as much as she could. Good thing she didn’t go all the wa… crap! We have to run!“

I opened my wings and jumped in action. I throw my knife into silent bodyguards shoulder. He was holding knife and wanted to silently kill the girl.

„Wha-what happend?“

„Your bodyguard tried to kill you. Do not worry. You are safe. I will question this guy.“

„Urgh… if you think I will talk…“

„Oh, do not worry. I will make you talk. I’m confident in my skills you see? I was assassin and torturer before I was demon lord.“

Yes, my jobs were not always nice, and flower path I took was dyed by blood. Corrupt nobles, silencing unwanted witnesses, assassinating captured spies… Killing and torturing from morning to morning. Never stopping wheel.

„Uh…huh…“

„That said, Miss Yama, you should stay by our side for the time being. If you have someone who you trust, keep them close. Now. Let’s go meet your father. Lizzie take that guy to our intelligence collector.“

„On it!“

Intelligence collector, aka Kesugi and her children. If that guy surivies, he will have arachnophobia for rest of his life.

Me, Yuki, Haba, Yama and all gnolls who just returned from their hunt, set off for main gate.

There, group of fifty men was standing in half cricle. And in the middle gigantic ogre was standing. His muscles were clearly visible, he was definitely in his top condition.

„Father!“ Yama shouted and run towards that men. When they met the men hugged his daughter and you could clearly see his love for her.

„Yama, I’m so glad you are okay! I was worried sick!“

„I see you are a good men. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Demon lord from Snowy mountains, my name is Zaru. Your daughter asked me to help you from orks and I plan to do just that.“

„My name Is Ya-rok, King of Ogre kingdom. Thank you for briging my only daughter home.“

„It was nothing, just her bodyguard was problematic.“

„The silent Hough? What did he tried to do?“

„He tried to kill me father.“

„WHAT?!“

„Do not worry king Ya-rok. My intelligence collector is already working on this case. We will find the culprit soon enought.“

„I would really like to choke that bastard.“

„Don’t worry about that, I told the woman in charge to keep him alive. Well, his mind might shatter a little,“ I said with smile.

„You really are a demon lord huh?“

„And you still didn’t saw my retainers… Well let’s leave that for another time. I want to forge an alliance.“

„I see. Let’s not talk here. I invite you to my casle, please follow me. Honoured quests.“

Yuki and Yama went with the king first and me with Haba follow soon after.

„Master, I…“

„So you realized as well. That guy knew his daughter was about to die and did nothing about it… I wanna puke from man like that. Haba. When we get home we will have to do something about this guy… I can’t this simply be.“

„I understand master. I will give you my all.“

„Thanks Haba.“

When we walked inside the casle, we were welcomed with excitement and fear. Well I had third prince of ork kingdom on leash so I could understand it.

„Ruler of Dungeon in snowy mountains, Demon lord of assassination Zaru, I, as king of all Ogres, Ya-rok, welcome you at my court and allow me to thank you for saving my only daughter from danger.“

What an actor! Fine I will play as well.

„It was nothing King of Ogres, Ya-rok. She is my employer so of course I would save her. Well I also got the assailant alive so I will soon find out who order it and if you allow me I will get rid of them myself,“ I said.

„I would be happier if you could bring them to me alive.“

„Given that the assailant was her bodyguard, I think it would be better to let me handle it. After all it will not hurt your prestige as much,“ I smiled, „And if you allow some of my men to acompany miss Yama, I would be even happier.“

„I will allow your men to take the task of guarding my daughter, but I will have to demand that you give me the culprits of the attack.“

„Well let’s leave it at that then.“ I smiled in success.

I could leave anyone at Yamas side and kill anyone who attacks.

With that royal reception ended and me, Yama, Yuki, Haba and the King were shown to special guest room were we started discussing our next move.

„I would be glad if we could take back some of our old land from ork kingdom. Would you assist us with that lord Zaru?“ king asked.

„The compensation will be big you know? What princess wanted to give me will not suffice.“

Yamas face turned a little pale.

„I belive, one third of ork kingdom will suffice?“

„You really want to take third of that country for yourself?!“

„I mean, you are making deal with demon lord. Either that or the thing you love the most.“

„I understand. Third of the country it is. Where is my map?“

I took map of ork kingdom from my magic bag, where I had maps of a lot of kingdoms, from my adveturing days.

„This map is about two months old. As you can see, river divide kingdom into two parts. South, about two thirds of country and north from the river would be my domain. North is divided into royal centre, near the river, and two dukedoms. Also there is one barony, but that will fall preaty easily. Sout will pose more problems if north will be standing. So my plan is to destroy north, kill off royal family and take over. After that you will go with your men and take over the south.“

„You have it though through very well I see.“

„Of course. But there is one more reason to take over north first.“

„And that is?“

„Slaves.“

„I’m not sure I follow you,“ Yama asked.

„King, dukes and that baron in north have a lot of slaves to do hard labor for them. They are mostly criminals and ogres.“

„We could make those inprisoned ogres soldiers and boost our numbers…“

„Exactly, king Ya-rok.“

„Then, let us start preparations. In three days, we will set off. Is that okay with you lord Zaru?“

„Sure.“

********************************************************************************

That night, inside private parts of the casle.

„Is it ready?“

„Yes my lady. Only thing in our way is that demon lord. But I belive he by himself is weak. And if we kill him, those ugly monster will disapear.“

„Great. And don’t forget to kill that wench.“

„As you command my queen.“

The shadow disapear and queen Gar-ni-U was alone in her chambrer once again.

„My son is only one who can inherit the throne and that stupid old man will not stop me. That halfling have to die. And if those guys will step in I will kill them as well... those stupid dukes, not even sending their personal army when kingdom was at stake...“