26. Please, We’ll Do Anything Other Than Work!

Around the same time when Neuville was thrown into chaos–
I was confronting the three dubious people from before.
They wore robes with hoods pulled under their eyes.
Seeing the familiar figures and atmosphere, I decided to inquire further.

“I knew you would come someday.”

I dropped my shoulders, and sighed.

The three say nothing.
They continue facing my way in silence.

“How did you know, that I would be here?”

As I question them, the middle man speaks from deep inside his hood.

“We realized after performing an autopsy on the altered Hydralord.”
“‘altered’ Hydralord?”
“The one upgraded by Blazel-sama, and the one you [Instant Death]’d”

So that Hydralord had such a backstory.
I see. A demon beast weapon upgraded by Blazel…
No wonder it had won against Pafimia and the silver rank adventurers.

“Even if it fools others, there’s no way of getting it past you guys, huh?”
“Prepare yourself, Capsodia-sama.”

The three take a stance all at once.

They kick the ground beneath them, and jump up.
Ina natural flow, they land on their hands to soften the impact, and place their knees on the ground.
Finally, with a sluggish speed, they bow their heads deeply.

“””We beg you, Capsodia-sama!! Please help us out!”””

Just when did they acquire this skill?
After landing an outstanding JUMPING DOGEZA, the three present me with thick documents taken out of their bosoms.

I receive them silently, and flip through them.

“Ghe…”

I unintentionally let out a voice.
It was the demon resuscitation list.
I used to follow this list to carry out my resuscitation work while in the demon army.

“This seems roughly above 10,000 people… How did you manage to accumulate so much work, you guys?”

I point and tap on the documents while saying so.

These guys looked exactly like me, but they don’t possess a physical body which is why they belong to a race of demons called “poltergeist”.
Well, even as ghosts, they can still interfere in this world’s events, and can touch people and things if they feel like it.

More importantly, these guys were under the same resuscitation department as me, and were my subordinates.

The middle one is [Esu].
On my left, is [Lit].
the last one is [Rat].

They look the same but I’ve come to be able to tell them apart, probably because we’ve been working in the same department for many years.

“Get a hold of yourself Esu. You’re the one in-charge now, aren’t you?”
“Aah-. Incorrect Capsodia-sama, I am Lit. Esu is over here.”

……

I clear my throat and recompose myself.

“Listen here. I know exactly what you want from me. But is that really fine? I’m no longer in the demon army. If he got to know I helped you, won’t Blazel get angry?”
“That does not matter! Blazel-sama is at fault to begin with. Despite the resuscitation work stagnating ever since Capsodia-sama left, instead of hiring helping hands, he employs even more reckless battle strategies… Despite our work not ending even if we don’t sleep, he keeps persisting us about quotas, and imposes even harsher deadlines!!”

The usually mild-mannered Lit(Or was it Esu?), was unusually fierce.
He must have been holding it in for a long time.
Long enough to come out in the middle of enemy territory, and chase me down.

So this is the state of the Demon King Army.
That Blazel, isn’t he being a bit too harsh?
I hope he’s not quarreling with the other races, like he is with my former subordinates…

What the demon army needs is unity.
If that loosens, we’ll start losing to humans just like before.

“Help us, Capsodia-sama!”
“Please save us.”
“We’ll do anything else!!”

I sigh deeply.

“Can’t be helped. I’ll lend you a hand.”
“W, we are grateful, Capsodia-sama.”

Taking on military work, despite having left the army, is a careless move.
But I do feel responsible, after leaving without even naming a successor.
They might have a suspicious air to them, but they’re still my cute subordinates.

“At least treat me to lunch, Lit.”
“Incorrect. I am Rat.”
“…..”
“Please don’t get so angry, of course we’ll treat you.”
“Haa… So? What’s the deadline?”
“Half a day.”

……………………………….

“Oi, you. What did you just say?”
“Half a day.”
“1 day?”
“No, half a day.”
“Na ha ha ha… Surely you jest.”
“Ya ha ha ha… If only I were.”

Lit looks towards the sky with distant eyes.
It’s not like he had eyes to begin with though.
More importantly—

“DON’T MESS WITH MEEEEE! It’s difficult even with a full day, but half!?”
“Please don’t scream at me. Blazel-sama decided it for us.”
“D-A-M-N-Y-O-U~~. Blazel you bastard, what were you thinking??”

“A certain operation is about to take place. For that, we need to prepare roughly 10,000 personnel. Please Capsodia-sama, won’t you save us by lending us a hand here? We need your power to meet this deadline. No… We can’t ask anyone but you. ‘Legendary Night’– if it’s you, who has once before revived 10,000 soldiers, in the span of one night…”

With Lit’s words, Esu also adds:

“We wanted to leave this to you.”

Rat further adds on passionately:

“I feel the same. The Demon King Army was a lot more fun with Capsodia-sama in it…”

My former subordinates hold high expectations from me.
I don’t know what expressions they made, but the faces of deep darkness seemed moistened.

–You guys…
It can’t be helped.
I dislike my kindness more and more.

Good grief… Even though I’m a demon…

“We won’t solve anything by bickering here. Let’s get to work right away.”
“””Thank you very much!!”””

The three bow their heads in unison.

“I have secured a place for the time being. This way, Capsodia-sama.”

I am guided politely.

–Good grief…
After leaving the Demon King Army, let alone that work, I never thought I would get involved in resurrecting the Demon King Army…

This and that is all because of Blazel.
If I see him again, I’ll definitely complain to him.

More importantly, I wonder how Cerberus is doing.
I’m starting to get a bit worried now.
Maybe I’ll return to the demon territory once and check up on him.

I worriedly stare at the blue sky, which one rarely saw in the demon territory.