“Don’t you dare!”
Jon was startled.
If he actually led the Nagas into a fight with the City Guard, what would that make him?
‘Turning from the light to the dark?’
‘I’ve become a true Demon King?’
“The Demon King orders that now is not the time for battle. We must endure,” Jon hurriedly issued his commands.
“From now on, we will do our best to avoid the human armies. Do not engage them head-on. Focus on rescuing human prisoners from the flood and ruins.”
“By the way, regarding the treatment of human prisoners… do not harm them. Dispatch some warriors to hunt, and try to ensure their basic needs are met.”
As Jon spoke, his brow gradually furrowed.
In reality, the most troublesome issue was the supply of basic necessities like food.
“Tactically, avoid combat as much as possible. 99% of the surrounding troops are likely City Guard. Their combat strength is low; as long as you intend to hide, they certainly won’t catch you.”
In comparison, these closing armies weren’t much of a threat.
The empire’s military strength, from highest to lowest, was roughly ranked: Imperial Guard > Standing Elite Legions > Standing Main Legions > Mobilization Legion > City Guard > Militia.
As part of the standing forces, the City Guard’s combat capability was actually slightly worse than that of a temporarily recruited Mobilization Legion.
The reason was likely that they saw little combat and were too well-fed.
The City Guard lacked the rigorous training and practical experience of the Main Legions, and they didn’t have the drive of the Mobilization Legion, who were desperate to trade their lives for a chance at wealth and glory.
Jon didn’t believe the City Guard could pin down a group of Nagas who moved like ghosts through the water.
However…
Jon, who hadn’t been back to town in a long time, didn’t know that the commander-in-chief of this “Demon Suppression” operation was Lia.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the Demon King leading the human army and the Hero leading the Demon King’s army would meet on the battlefield in such a manner.
—
One person and one Puff, master and pet, gazed at each other from across the battlefield.
For a moment, neither knew what to say.
Lia looked at the figure in familiar armor amidst the crowd of Nagas.
She slapped her forehead and almost laughed out loud.
‘I finally understand why so many Nagas appeared out of nowhere! The Hero really pulled off a massive stunt!’
Using the residual reputation of “Demon King Leah” to recruit demons from the Abyss and then using those demons for disaster relief—how on earth did he come up with that idea?
It was lucky that the Hero had recruited Nagas this time—specifically, the relatively obedient, dull, adult Nagas who didn’t eat human flesh.
Otherwise, if he had brought a group of Ghouls, she couldn’t even imagine how “lively” the scene would have been.
The Hero leading demon subordinates to fish meatballs out of a self-service hot pot.jpg
“Miss Lily, when will Master Hero arrive? These demons across from us are too many and too strong.”
The City Guard officer beside her was drenched in sweat, his legs trembling.
Facing a group of snake-bodied monsters 7, 8, or even 15 meters long, these long-untested City Guards couldn’t muster even a shred of fighting spirit.
Lia grinned.
‘Heh! What a coincidence! Master Hero is right here! He’s just… on the other side!’
Since she knew the one opposite her was the Hero, Lia simply cooperated and began “acting” with him.
First, she feigned a command error, letting the Nagas she had trapped in the reservoir escape.
Then, following Jon’s subtle hints, she successfully located and “captured” all the caves where the Nagas had housed human prisoners.
This move immediately caused the City Guard to view Lia as a goddess of strategy.
“Miss Lily is truly brilliant. How did she figure that out?”
They could rack their brains all day and still never understand that the demon general on the other side was one of their own.
“Sigh… it’s all just the mysterious power of the lucky Puff God. It’s not worth mentioning, really~” Lia nearly burst with joy.
Once they finally “drove away” the Nagas in the river, the City Guard immediately stood down from combat readiness and continued panning for gold in the flood.
The 6.66 gold coins prize for the koi didn’t interest them much, but the temptation of the “Princess” was far more effective.
After all… the love story between a grassroots knight and a princess in distress was an eternal favorite in male-oriented novels.
Furthermore, most of those stories began with a classic “hero saves the damsel” trope.
—
As the sun rose in the east, Jon, having arranged the Nagas’ next moves, was finally able to take off his armor and return to Lia’s side.
“Lily, thank goodness. I see you again.”
He hurried over and gently picked Lia up, rubbing her against his face for a long time.
Lia found the sensation of her upper body—especially her pink buns—being rubbed against a bit much.
Her face flushed a deep red as she pushed against Jon’s face in resistance.
“Quack! No! Friend’s stubble is going to rub Lily raw!”
“Sorry, sorry.”
Jon quickly let Lia go.
He rubbed his chin and realized his stubble was indeed a bit prickly.
A **Mana Air Blade** coalesced at his fingertips, and with a quick swipe across his cheek, he shaved.
“I’ve been too busy these past 2 days; I didn’t pay much attention to my beard.”
Lia hopped out of Jon’s palm and scurried behind a drawing board, asking timidly, “Where did you go last night? How did you suddenly become a Naga commander?”
“It’s a long story…”
With high spirits, Jon recounted his “undercover operation” from the previous night.
His tone was light, carrying a hint of pride.
Lia listened intently, her mouth hanging wider and wider.
‘What do you mean you wiped out all the demon lords in the first Demon Realm in 30 minutes? What about me? I spent 6 months preparing, carefully analyzing every lord’s weakness, and painstakingly sowing discord to pick them off one by one so they wouldn’t band together! What am I? Someone who’s addicted to playing despite being terrible at it?’
‘And what do you mean you shattered the Demon God’s tentacles with one punch? Aren’t those things supposed to regenerate infinitely?’
“But… friend…”
Lia suspiciously pulled out a copy of the Secret History of the Demon King’s Harem she had scavenged from Amir’s private stash.
Although this particular episode wasn’t in the book, it didn’t stop her from pretending it was to ask:
“I’m not doubting that you’re bragging, friend, but when Demon King Leah conquered the fourth Demon Realm, why did the Demon God’s tentacles keep resurrecting?”
Jon thought for a moment and answered seriously, “Maybe he didn’t smash them enough?”
Lia couldn’t hold it in—this method of using raw stats to bypass game mechanics…
‘I could never think of such a solution in a lifetime!’
It was comparable to the logic of “Superman’s freeze breath is actually him blowing out high-pressure liquefied air that instantly absorbs all heat from an object’s surface.”
“What about you? How did you end up commanding the City Guard?” Jon asked curiously.
Speaking of this made Lily annoyed.
She said crossly, “Because I’m your pet~ They couldn’t beat the Nagas and didn’t want to take the blame, so they came looking for you. But since you weren’t there, they just pushed me to the front.”
“Oh.”
Jon nodded in realization.
He also noticed many unusual sights in Puff Town, especially at the town gate, where a large spinning wheel was surrounded by a crowd of fanatical commoners.
The wheel spun from time to time, followed by a chorus of “Sigh…” from the crowd.
Occasionally, a burst of “Oooooh!” ecstatic cheering would erupt.
“It’s Lily’s clever little idea!” As if seeking credit, Lia explained her “lost princess” plan to Jon.
Jon was stunned.
‘You can even do that?’
He marveled once more at little Lily’s wit and mental flexibility.
It was wonderful; she easily accomplished things he couldn’t do no matter how hard he tried.
It turned out that while he had abandoned everything last night, risking being branded a “traitor to humanity” to go to the Demon Realm and borrow troops under the Demon King’s banner…
Lily had also been racking her brain, tilting her little head, and trying every possible way to help him.
He suddenly felt a warm sensation, partway between a smile and tears.
His lips trembled slightly, and a thousand words gathered in his throat, finally condensing into a single sentence:
“Lily… do you want to replenish some mana?”
Lia was slightly taken aback.
She inexplicably recalled the last time they had replenished mana, and her cheeks turned a rosy red.
She fidgeted for a moment but ultimately couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
She nodded like a chicken pecking at grain.
“Yes!”