Orchestrating Illusions

After approximately six hours of running and resting, I finally reached the Demon Queen's Castle. Unlike before, I was warmly welcomed by the demons. I made my way to the audience hall where Zephyra awaited. There, I asked her if she possessed any spells, medicines, or potions capable of temporarily brainwashing individuals. My plan was simple: to confuse the scouts and lead them in the opposite direction of the target cities. Zephyra smiled, seemingly satisfied with my plan. Despite being different races and former enemies, she seemed to be growing fond of me. She ordered one of her demons to bring a small glass container filled with a reddish, glowing liquid. She explained that once consumed, I would have a three-minute window to implant any suggestion I desired. Moreover, the effect would last for a week, causing the affected individuals to believe the suggestion as true.

"This is exactly what I needed. Thank you, Queen Zephyra," I expressed my gratitude, bending down with my hand on my heart. With this potion, I could potentially eliminate any casualties among demons and humans in the upcoming battle. However, success relied on the effectiveness of my plan. Zephyra, considering the distance I had traveled, decided to send me back in the morning. For the time being, she suggested I rest within the castle. After careful consideration, I nodded. She had no reason to kill me at this point, and keeping me alive would serve her interests better. Zephyra called upon a demon maid to guide me to a guest room.

Upon entering the guest room, I discovered it to be spacious, with a dark red bed and candles adorning the surroundings. It was far less sinister than I had anticipated and felt surprisingly welcoming. I approached the bed, and before lying down, the maid proposed to wash me. Considering my long journey by a six-hour run, I was covered in sweat. Agreeing to her suggestion, I allowed her to strip me and thoroughly cleanse my body, much like Amelia had done in the past. Once finished, she assisted me in dressing, and I drifted off to sleep.

Contrary to my expectations, sleeping in an area teeming with demons did not invoke fear. I realized it was my father's voice speaking in my mind, projecting his prejudices onto me. Demons were just like us, endeavoring to survive in their own daily struggles. I had been raised with the notion that demons were inherently evil, a belief perpetuated by my father and other humans. However, my perspective shifted when, at the age of fifteen, I encountered a demon child in peril from a monster. I intervened and rid the child of the threat. Despite initial trepidation from the child's parents upon seeing a human, they eventually expressed gratitude and treated me kindly. In that moment, I grasped the truth that we, humans, had been the aggressors toward demons. While there may be malevolent demons as there are malevolent humans, it became clear that demons were not inherently evil beings but rather individuals striving to survive. This realization compelled me to meet with Zephyra, without any intention of harm, the previous month.

The next morning, I was awakened by the demon maid who had prepared a modest breakfast for me. Following this, I met with Zephyra to express my gratitude once again and take my leave. However, just as I was about to depart, Zephyra stopped me. "Wait, Cid. Take this," she said, handing me a small crystal. "It's a teleportation crystal. Considering the long journey you've undertaken for our cause, it would be cruel of me to let you travel all the way back." I thanked her sincerely for her thoughtfulness and bid farewell to the castle. Holding the crystal in my hand, I closed my eyes and visualized the location where I wished to reappear. Upon opening my eyes, I found myself back in my bedroom. Katarina was still in my bed, feigning sleep to deceive any potential intruders, while Amelia and Valeria stood guard outside the room. I summoned Valeria inside and seated myself at my desk.

"I have a task for both of you. I need you to keep my disappearance last night a secret from everyone, including the king, and Amelia" I instructed them. They nodded in agreement and left the room. I changed back into my regular attire and allowed Amelia to enter and assist me, as if I had spent the entire night in my room.

For this particular campaign, my father had prepared an army of 10,000 soldiers, three generals, and ten scouts. In order for my plan to succeed, I had to ensure the scouts believed the demon army was located in a different direction from their actual destination. Since the generals relied on the scouts for directions, this manipulation was crucial. With determination, I proceeded to my father's office, where he sat alone, accompanied only by his two bodyguards stationed outside.

"I apologize for my previous thoughts of showing mercy toward the demons," I began, lowering my head. I needed to convince him that I desired the eradication of demons as much as he did. "Thank you for granting me the opportunity to lead this battle," I continued. "Would you permit me to share a bottle of Noble Elixir?" I requested. Noble Elixir was an exceedingly rare and expensive brand of wine my father possessed. "Why would you want that?" he inquired. "I wish to have a drink with the generals and scouts before we embark on the battle. After all, this will be the first battle of this magnitude that I will lead." He chuckled and acquiesced, saying, "Noble Elixir for the generals and scouts? Very well, if you believe it to be a good idea.”

With that, my plan was nearing completion. I now possessed the drink and the potion necessary to execute my strategy. The final step was to invite the generals and scouts to a small gathering where I could surreptitiously spike their drinks.