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From the Author Shiro

T/N: A Note on This Chapter and Refining Translations

This chapter has been a treasure trove of revelations, shedding light on several key moments from earlier chapters. One significant example is the concept of “fumie”, which I’ve translated as “Trial of Allegiance”. This term is going to appear a lot in this chapter, and thanks to the deeper context provided here, I’ve been able to refine my understanding and translation of it.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out the translator note in the previous chapter where I first explained this translation choice. The author seems to love weaving this concept into the narrative, so it’s worth getting familiar with it—it’s not just a test of loyalty; it’s practically a recurring theme now! 😄

Thanks for sticking with me as I polish things up, and I hope you enjoy the refined flow of the story!

At the previous meeting, a wave of revelations shook the Orbaume Kingdom’s leading dukes. Vandalieu disclosed his identity as a reincarnator from another world, along with the existence of multiple other reincarnators, including Kanako Tsuchiya. He revealed that the shattered soul fragments of Zakkart and three other champions, defeated by Guduranis over 100,000 years ago, had reincarnated countless times, eventually forming Vandalieu. This and many other hidden truths left the room in stunned silence.

The implications were staggering. Historically, the first emperor of the Amid Empire (now the Holy Nation of Amid) claimed to be a descendant of Bellwood, using this divine connection to justify the empire’s foundation. Similarly, Vandalieu could establish an unshakable legitimacy, but with one critical difference—his claim could be directly verified by Vida, the Goddess of Life and Love, through Darcia. Moreover, Vida could vouch for him repeatedly if necessary.

Unlike the Amid imperial family, whose claims of Bellwood lineage have long been scrutinized—partly due to propaganda spread by the Orbaume Kingdom—Vandalieu’s status as a “reincarnation of champions” is indisputable. No eloquence or evidence could undermine the divine assurance he possessed. Even Duke Arthasabba, who had declared neutrality, and Duke Lext, who hesitated to support the Demon Empire of Vidal, were shaken to their cores. Both realized that Vandalieu carried a cause so monumental he could feasibly aim for not just uniting the Bahn Gaia continent but even global unification.

For Vandalieu, who is a [Guider], this newfound validation as a “reincarnation of champions” was a mere bonus. He was already revered by the citizens of the Demon Empire of Vidal to the point of voluntarily erecting enormous statues in his honor.

By comparison, other announcements were significant yet dwarfed by this revelation. These included Kanako’s reincarnator status, her and her group’s evolution into a new Vida race known as Chaos Elves, and the potential for continued use of V-Cream to induce mutation into a Netherworld race. Additionally, Zorcodrio of the [Storm of Tyranny] was revealed to be a Pure-Breed Vampire, and the Demon Empire of Vidal’s territories extended to both the legendary Magic Continent and the mythical Demon King’s continent. While these facts were not small by any means, the latter details were so vast in scale that the dukes struggled to grasp their immediate implications.

Some truths, however, were withheld. The fact that Katie Hartner and others are reincarnators remained a secret to protect Katie, who isn’t a citizen of the Demon Empire. Similarly, Sieg’s biological father, Marshukzarl, was not disclosed, as it offered no tangible benefit and Zorcodrio, as Sieg’s adoptive parent, wished to keep it private. Darcia’s miraculous resurrection after her execution in the Mirg Shield-Nation was also omitted. Although Hadros and Takkard might have been trusted with such information, the potential for others to covet this miracle posed too great a risk.

Still, these omissions seemed minor compared to the widely known phenomena of Netherworld mutations, pseudo-reincarnations into Undead, and transformations into Demons and monsters.

All the dukes who participated in the meeting sensed that there were truths that Vandalieu and others hadn’t disclosed, but no one pursued it at the scene. While they were curious, they understood that such secrets were the prerogative of a nation as overwhelmingly powerful as the Demon Empire of Vidal. History often reveals such truths centuries or millennia later, left to be unearthed by archaeologists.

In Lambda, a world where even the concept of human rights is nebulous, few concern themselves with the right to know. Intelligence agencies may investigate once diplomatic relations deepen, but for now, the overwhelming power of the Demon Empire overshadowed any lingering curiosities.

One matter that did not provoke as much shock was the renaming of “Vida Fundamentalism” to “Vida Faith,” announced before these revelations. In Lambda, unlike on Earth, fundamentalist factions are not synonymous with terrorism or extremist actions. However, the nobles and clergy were keenly aware of the historical atrocities committed by Bellwood extremists—radical fundamentalists so cruel that Alda himself had to deliver divine punishment. For these individuals, the term “fundamentalism” naturally evoked unease. Changing the name was a logical, understandable move that resonated with their sensibilities.

The most unexpected revelation during the meeting was not about territorial arrangements or military strength but the personnel assigned to the embassies of the Demon Empire of Vidal in each duchy. The idea that these diplomatic outposts would feature representatives of the Demon Empire was unsurprising, but the specifics left the gathered dukes stunned.

Vandalieu announced casually, “For now, we plan to dispatch several Demon King Familiars to serve in the embassies.”

<<<< ++++ >>>

Duke Gerald Birgitt, who had emerged as one of the key figures in this meeting, later admitted to his aide with a wry smile, “That statement floored me. I was this close to blurting out, ‘Are you serious?’”

The source of his shock was Vandalieu’s declaration that the Demon Empire of Vidal would initially assign several Demon King Familiars to their embassies. These Familiars would act as proxies until suitable personnel could be selected and as a way to reduce the burden on the embassy staff.

“I never expected a second Trial of Allegiance during this meeting,” Duke Birgitt said with relief. “Had they not explained the purpose of the Demon King Familiars, I might have mistaken it for a scheme to infiltrate the duchies from within—much like what happened in Orbaume.”

The duke, a stern-faced wolf beastman, displayed remarkable composure when he pledged to confront the Farzon duchy—the Trial of Allegiance Vandalieu had set forth. His demeanor suggested he had foreseen this challenge. He pressed his seal without hesitation, despite his duchy’s location south of Hartner and in close proximity to Farzon. Unlike Duke Alcrem, Duke Jahan, or the newly appointed Duke Sauron, Gerald wasn’t in league with Vandalieu—yet he showed no reservations.

“Well, since we’re talking about engaging in diplomatic relations with a country that recognizes not just Vida’s new races but even Demons and Undead as citizens, I suppose we need to have the resolve to accept something like having the ruler’s clones stationed in the embassy,” Bombarde remarked.

“Bombarde, you seem to have more guts than me,” Duke Birgitt admitted. ”I didn’t have such a resolve I heard Vandalieu’s announcement.”

Typically, an ambassador serves as a country’s representative in diplomatic relations. However, the concept of dispatching the ruler’s own clone as an emissary was unprecedented and caught Birgitt off guard.

Though he hadn’t anticipated it, Gerald ultimately faced the second Trial of Allegiance head-on without showing any hesitation or agitation. He reasoned that he would eventually need to invite Vandalieu as a state guest anyway. This resolute response surprised not only the other dukes but Vandalieu himself.

“It seems I’m still inexperienced,” admitted Gerald Birgitt with a rueful smile. “Honestly, the conditions—aside from the Trial of Allegiance—were far lighter than I’d anticipated. As for the trial itself, I now realize there was no point in trying to avoid it. I’d prepared for countless scenarios, but it appears all that effort was in vain.”

Indeed, Duke Birgitt had anticipated that this meeting might demand significant proof of loyalty or cooperation. Among these, he had considered taking a clear confrontational stance against the Farzon duchy and the Amid Holy Nation as merely the minimum necessary—a prerequisite condition for attending the meeting.

He had also considered and prepared for other possibilities, such as granting favorable terms in trade agreements, establishing a church dedicated to Vandalieu within his territory, sending women from his domain—including relatives—as brides or concubines to prominent figures of the Demon Empire of Vidal under the guise of marriage or bridal training, and even offering up family heirlooms.

“I had even contemplated offering a political marriage, bringing in children of high-ranking Vidal Demon Empire officials as adopted sons-in-law. I was also prepared for the possibility of my territory being annexed in the future,” Duke Birgitt confessed. “But their demands were surprisingly modest and reserved. Had I proposed such measures, I might have been seen as a fawning duke, too eager to bend to the strong. Honestly, I’m relieved I held my tongue.”

Notably, other dukes had, like Gerald, contemplated offering relatives’ or retainers’ children as concubines or potential spouses for political alliances. However, none ultimately broached the subject.

This reticence stemmed from reports of Bakunawa, introduced as Vandalieu’s firstborn at Elizabeth Sauron’s coronation ceremony. The creature’s extraordinary appearance and size had such a profound impact that it sobered the dukes, prompting them to prioritize gathering more information and investigating key figures within the Demon Empire of Vidal before considering such proposals.

In contrast, Gerald had attempted to capitalize on the moment while the other dukes hesitated, but it proved unnecessary.

“Boss, except for annexation, aren’t all of those just means of strengthening relationships disguised as submission?” Bombarde remarked. ”And regarding the annexation plan, I haven’t heard anything about that.”

“Naturally, I couldn’t disclose such plans in advance,” Duke Birgitt remarked.

The bear beastman knight Bombarde, Duke Birgitt’s aide, sighed with a mix of exasperation and resignation.

“Even if Vida-sama supports them, it’s still an unknown country we’re dealing with. Please don’t go selling out our homeland, boss. The elders would have heart attacks,” Bombarde muttered.

Duke Birgitt, unbothered, leaned back slightly and replied, “We’re already a step behind Alcrem, Jahan, and Sauron. If we hesitate now, how are we not going to end up being the ones left in the dust? Sure, they’re still unfamiliar to us, but that’s only because we don’t have enough information yet. Once the embassy is established, we’ll gain intelligence by leaps and bounds. Besides, dealing with the Demon Empire of Vidal is far preferable to those scheming old raccoons in the center, like old man Tercatanis. And let’s face it—the Orbaume Kingdom is practically under their thumb already.”

Gerald Birgitt had come to the conclusion that the time to stand firm in opposition to the Demon Empire of Vidal, to protect the independence, ideology, and culture of the Orbaume Kingdom had already passed.

“Of course,” he continued, “I don’t intend to sell out our homeland for a bargain price. At the very least, I’ll ensure our autonomy is recognized.”

The Birgitt duchy is located in the southwest of the Orbaume Kingdom, geographically difficult to access from other duchies except for the Farzon duchy to the east and the Rext duchy slightly to the northeast. It is bordered by the Boundary Mountain Range to the west, steep rocky mountains to the north with the Hartner duchy, and rocky mountains also separate it from the sea to the south. Their ancestors struggled to dig tunnels to connect to the sea, but it’s not enough for large-scale trade.

However, it was precisely because of this land that even before the Orbaume Kingdom was founded and the name was changed to the Birgitt duchy, various beastman races had gathered in that land and formed tribal confederations.

For the beastman races, who have lower aptitude for magic than humans and elves but are blessed with robust physiques and superior senses, the land of Birgitt was a natural fortress surrounded by mountain ranges and rocky mountains. That sense of security, however, had been shattered over the past few months.

The days of simply dispatching forces to the Sauron duchy to counter the Amid Empire, while fretting over relations with the disagreeable Farzon duchy next door and worrying about potential meddling from central nobles, have come to an end.

“The Demon Emperor can move mountain ranges, Bombarde. Mountain ranges! There’s no way we can win against that,” Gerald admitted bluntly.

The once-impenetrable natural defenses of the Birgitt duchy had been rendered meaningless the moment Vandalieu shifted the Boundary Mountain Range. The solid, immovable walls they had relied on for centuries were now potential weapons in Vandalieu’s hands, ready to crush them at will.

To be fair, the Birgitt duchy does have defensive points like fortresses and fortress cities on the mountain range and rocky mountain sides. However, these defenses were designed to repel rampaging monsters from Devil’s Nests and Dungeons, not to withstand the strategic ingenuity of an intelligent, organized army. A competent army could easily bypass these defensive positions and infiltrate the cities.

Worse still, Vandalieu didn’t need armies—he could simply hurl the mountain ranges themselves at their defenses. No fortress walls could stand against that kind of power.

If the western Boundary Mountain Range and the rocky mountains to the north and south started moving simultaneously, the Birgitt duchy would be crushed without even being given a chance to cross blades.

Moreover, in that case, the homeland would be mixed into the mountain ranges, and its original form would be lost forever. There’s no hope of fleeing once, enduring a time of hiding, and aiming for a comeback. They would become a wandering people who have lost their country.

“Even if we didn’t consider that, do you think we could win if it came to war?” Duke Birgitt asked gravely. “Bombarde, I’m sorry to say this, but I can only see us either being utterly defeated or trampled.”

In this situation, there’s no path to victory, even when considering the combined forces of the Demon Empire of Vidal and the Birgitt duchy’s army. It’s an insurmountable challenge.

Vandalieu himself, whom they witnessed in Orbaume, along with Knochen, Darcia, Cuatro, the [Sword King] Borkus, and the former [Majin King] who emerged from within the Boundary Mountain Range… each of them possesses overwhelming strength. Furthermore, they claim to have additional forces remaining in their homeland, leaving Gerald unable to fathom the true extent of their total military might.

Even if they fought, the Birgitt duchy would be isolated. This is because the Birgitt duchy is surrounded by a natural fortress—a prison. The neighboring Farzon duchy, which is easy to access, is hostile and no reinforcements can be expected. Even if they came, the Birgitt Duchy would have to worry about being stabbed in the back, so they can’t be relied upon. And the center is in a state where Demons who worship Vandalieu are strutting about, so there’s no way they could send reinforcements. Riots would break out and Orbaume would become a pile of rubble again.

Moreover, Gerald and the people of the Birgitt duchy see little reason to oppose Vandalieu. The Demon Empire of Vidal has shown no intent to invade or economically exploit them. Although they were compelled to undertake an Allegiance Trial involving the Farzon duchy, Gerald couldn’t fathom anyone in his domain rebelling over this matter.

With so many unfavorable factors lined up and no need to fight, it’s natural for Gerald to take a policy of seeking a path from submission to coexistence and co-prosperity.

Bombarde, however, seemed distracted. “Boss, your tone is getting sloppy. Even in a carriage, you should speak more formally,” he muttered.

Gerald raised an eyebrow. “That’s what you’re worried about? Not something like ‘Don’t underestimate our strength’?”

Bombarde smirked. “Boss, even I know not to pick fights I can’t win.”

The Birgitt duchy, upon the founding of the Orbaume Kingdom, elevated the leader of the wolf beastman tribe—then the most prominent among the beastman tribes—as duke, adopting a nobility-based governance system to match with the other duchies.

However, in practice, the duchy has become a society of beastmen who value strength above lineage, much like Vida’s new races. It is common for someone stronger and with a stable personality to be welcomed as an adopted heir and designated successor, rather than automatically passing leadership to the blood-related heir of a noble family or tribal leader.

Strength in this context encompasses not just physical power but also intellect and skills, so those unsuited for combat are not necessarily persecuted or sidelined.

In such a meritocratic society, Bombarde, Duke Birgitt’s direct subordinate, had proven his abilities by rising to his current position. He had enough confidence in his strength to believe he could protect the duke even if assailants as strong as A-rank adventurers launched an attack.

However, during the recent battle where Dark Avalon appeared and the Demon King Guduranis was resurrected, Bombarde had witnessed combat on a scale he could scarcely comprehend. Watching Guduranis and Vandalieu clash in the skies above was enough for him to grasp that there are battlefields where even someone of his caliber cannot set foot. These were beings humans were simply not meant to fight. Unless one were a god or a hero empowered by god descending upon them, challenging such entities was futile.

Bombarde believed he might hold his own against one of their companions for a brief moment—perhaps exchanging a single blow or inflicting minor damage with the resolve to sacrifice his life—but against those of Vandalieu’s caliber, defeat was certain.

Moreover, if a full-scale war broke out between the Demon Empire of Vidal and the Birgitt duchy, Bombarde could only imagine the devastation the duchy would suffer as collateral damage.

“The other duchies must understand this too, which is why they’ll eventually take the Trial of Allegiance before the Demon Empire of Vidal. Honestly, I can’t understand why the people of Farzon refuse to see it…” Gerald said with a heavy sigh.

Even if by some miracle they managed to defeat the Demon Empire of Vidal, Bombarde couldn’t help but think, What would even come of it?

Victory wouldn’t matter if their territory was left in ruins and its governance collapsed. In such a scenario, winning would be indistinguishable from losing.

“Farzon has always been an unpleasant lot, but still, what on earth has happened to them?” Bombarde asked, his frustration evident.

“I can’t empathize with their thinking either,” Gerald replied. “But I suspect they see this not as a war, but as a holy war.”

“A holy war, you say?” Bombarde repeated, puzzled by the unfamiliar term.

“Yes, a holy war,” Gerald continued. “The kind where they believe they must fight, even if villages burn, cities are destroyed, and nations perish—not for rights, territory, resources, or treasure, but to defend what they see as justice, faith, the survival of their race, and the continuation of the world.”

Bombarde furrowed his brow. “Couldn’t they protect all of that without opposing that Demon Empire?”

Vandalieu had demanded that the Orbaume Kingdom recognize the rights of Vida’s new races. However, his approach was far from coercive. While the overwhelming military power behind his request might feel threatening, Vandalieu had made no actual threats.

If the demand couldn’t be met outright, there were alternative paths—such as negotiating for time while working toward a mutually acceptable compromise. For instance, Vida’s new races could be allowed to emigrate to the Demon Empire of Vidal in exchange for their help in capturing dangerous Demon Race terrorists operating within Orbaume’s borders.

Even Bombarde, who wasn’t a political expert, could think of such solutions. The other duchies surely had considered similar options. It was hard to believe that the nobles of the Farzon duchy hadn’t.

“Exactly,” Gerald said, his tone darkening. “Even if we were to concede and accept the foolhardy notion of opposing the Demon Empire of Vidal, it wouldn’t matter as long as that opposition remained limited to diplomacy or economic relations. Avoiding direct conflict would still be possible. But the Farzon dukes are so consumed by their faith, ideology, and so-called righteousness that such restraint is beyond them. They’re no different from the Bellwood extremists, Alda fanatics, or dangerous Majin tribes.”

For a brief moment, a flicker of sympathy crossed Gerald’s face as he considered the future of the people in the Farzon duchy.

Being well-versed in the history of his own domain, he understood all too well the hardships of isolation. Since its founding, the Birgitt duchy had often been isolated from its neighbors.

Unlike the Sauron duchy, which gradually came to believe in Vida after repeated wars with the Amid Empire, the people of Birgitt had been fervent Vida believers from the start. This led to poor relations with duchies where Alda’s religion held sway.

Relations with Farzon had become particularly strained in recent years as the neighboring duchy aligned itself more closely with Alda’s Church. Skirmishes had broken out, and the Birgitt duchy was often derided as “a land of backward beasts” by figures like Prime Minister Tercatanis, who had strong ties to Alda’s Church.

Naturally, relations were strained with the Jahan duchy, which had long been home to many Alda believers, and with the Hartner duchy, where Alda’s faith had dominated for the past two centuries.

Thinking of how the people of Farzon might now endure similar hardships, Gerald felt a momentary pang of mixed emotions.

“Well, I suppose they’ll just have to accept that they were born in the wrong place and let fate take its course,” he said, his expression hardening. The fleeting sympathy faded, replaced by resolve.

“More importantly, the conditions proposed in exchange for passing the Trial of Allegiance are far more critical.” Bombarde, the bear beastman knight and Gerald’s aide, sighed with a hint of exasperation.

“Well, what do you know, you do understand, don’t you?” Gerald replied. “The vampires worshipping evil gods who were hiding in our territory have vanished, and the Majin living here are all peaceful and friendly tribes. That’s fine, but we must at least secure a verbal promise for a visit from His Majesty the Demon Emperor and Darcia-sama. Otherwise, I and our hot-blooded citizens might end up attempting to cross the mountain range ourselves.”

“Please restrain yourself if not the people, boss,” Bombarde retorted, raising an eyebrow. “By the way, what about Asagi and the others?”

“Oh, them. They’re excellent adventurers, no doubt about that, but…” Gerald paused, considering the matter. “Based on what I learned at the meeting, those three are likely reincarnators from another world, so they probably have some sort of connection to all of this.”

As a duke, Gerald hadn’t had many personal interactions with Asagi and his group, but he was well aware of their reputation among his subordinates and the progress they had made in their research.

The trio had all been promoted to B-rank adventurers, with abilities rivaling those of A-rank. Each possessed unique skills, the most notable being Tatsuya Tendou’s [Clairvoyance], which could fully expose the internal structure of enemy military bases. Asagi was similarly invaluable, with his ability to almost entirely neutralize mages.

Though Asagi had some minor personality flaws, Gerald didn’t see them as a significant issue. This was largely because Asagi only interacted with people in the Birgitt duchy sparingly, keeping himself distant. To most, he came across as a somewhat hot-headed but ultimately harmless young man.

Meanwhile, the research Asagi and his group were conducting on sealing [Demon King Fragments] remained ongoing and valuable. While Vandalieu had guaranteed at the meeting that he could safely absorb the fragments if summoned, Gerald wasn’t eager to rely on that option every time a fragment went berserk. The idea of repeatedly calling the ruler of a foreign superpower they were still negotiating relations with didn’t sit well with him. Not to mention, significant damage could occur if he spent time hesitating on whether or not summon Vandalieu.

If there were a way to seal the fragments safely—even temporarily—it would be enough to hand them over to Vandalieu later while earning diplomatic goodwill, rather than creating a debt.

Thanks to Asagi and his companions, that solution now existed. They had developed magic items capable of safely sealing [Demon King Fragments]. Previously, sealing required destroying or incapacitating the berserk host, then capturing the fragment as it tried to parasitize a new one. This method was dangerous; a failed attempt could result in a comrade becoming the next host and rampaging.

With the new magic items, the fragment could be sealed simply by defeating its current host. There was no longer a risk of the fragment finding a new victim. While the process required magic stones from high-rank monsters, the benefits far outweighed the cost.

Admittedly, this result might not align with Asagi’s ultimate goals. Their research focused on safe sealing, not long-term storage. In the wake of Guduranis’s partial resurrection, it was clear that having Vandalieu absorb the fragments was still the safest option to ensure they didn’t fall into the Demon King’s hands. Given all this, Gerald had no intention of interfering with Asagi and his group.

“In the first place,” he explained, “they’re adventurers affiliated with the Adventurers’ Guild. I have no authority over them. Even the letter I sent to the Demon Emperor went through the Guild. It’s best to act like a good neighbor and leave it at that. Until something significant happens, my focus will remain on selecting forces to send to the Farzon duchy war and managing diplomacy with the Demon Empire of Vidal.”

With that, Gerald turned his attention to the pressing matter of diplomacy—a challenge that other dukes were also grappling with—and returned to his residence in Orbaume.

Incidentally, Duke Pilluchikov and Duke Arthasabba had plans to use the future embassies to infiltrate spies and send their intelligence operatives into the Demon Empire of Vidal. However, these schemes were destined to fail.

In Talosheim, Demon King Familiars roamed the streets in units of dozens, interacting daily with the citizens of the Demon Empire. Vandalieu, who shared their senses and memories, possessed the [Perfect Record Technique], a skill that ensured he never forgot a single detail.

The presence of an unfamiliar person would immediately stand out to Vandalieu. His clones, the supreme authority of the Demon Empire, monitored every street and alley 24/7, keeping an unblinking watch over the nation.

In such a system, traditional intelligence operations were not only futile—they were impossible.