Chapter 161: Return to the Imperial Capital After a Long Absence
During our journey to the imperial capital, we were repeatedly attacked. There were two attacks by deserters, and the rest were produced by thin peasants. We effortlessly repelled all of them and, as per orders, took the survivors into custody. Eventually, we found ourselves with more captives in our ranks than there were demons.
The handling of these prisoners had been entrusted to us by that man. He had merely instructed us to “get them to the imperial capital alive,” but, in essence, this meant we had to keep them alive as much as possible. It had become quite a burden.
“Um, Captain. The prisoners are complaining about the lack of food…”
“They think we’re a bunch of kids, underestimating us like that… Ridiculous!”
During a brief halt in our march, Ariel made the report while looking apologetic. She had been responsible for distributing food to the prisoners, and apparently, they were dissatisfied with the amount. Julius was visibly furious, perhaps offended by their crude attitude.
If we were to keep the prisoners alive, it was only natural that we had to feed them. And as their numbers increased, so did their consumption. The man in charge, including himself and the imperial soldiers, had their own food supplies, which were separate from ours. Consequently, we had to share our provisions, depleting them at an astonishing rate.
We had ample provisions, but due to that man’s haphazardly increasing prisoners to our ranks, our supplies had dwindled to a mere fraction. According to Mika’s assessment, we had just enough to make it to the imperial capital. If it weren’t for the extra rations we received from the joyful Coalition Army after our victory, we might have found ourselves suffering from hunger.
“Mostly because I entrusted the protection of the wagons to you, they haven’t actually seen you guys in action. I’m sorry; it’s partly my fault.”
“…Captain, it’s not your fault at all. The real problem is those idiots who can’t control their mouths despite being nothing more than trash.”
I apologized for my mistake to Julius, who was clearly upset, but Bolts denied it. His calm and matter-of-fact response, without a trace of frustration, was eerie enough to make Julius regain his composure.
The meek aura that Bolts had when we first met was no longer present in him, as he now berated the prisoners with profanity in a low voice. It seemed that his experiences on the battlefield had changed him. Even though we were busy, we should have paid more attention to him.
“Regardless, I’ll handle persuading the prisoners. And from now on, let only the adults take care of the prisoners. Let’s just put this behind us.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Well, I’ll do it only because you said that.”
“Is that so? Personally, I would have liked to teach them about the harsh reality…”
Ariel nodded her head obediently, Julius reluctantly agreed, and Bolts appeared disappointed while muttering something unsettling. It seemed that I needed to have a sit-down conversation with Bolts at some point. I have to find a way to make time for that.
I should also consult with Tigar and the others. With these thoughts in mind, I made my way to the prisoners who were sitting down, wearing slave collars.
Every time I saw the prisoners, I couldn’t help but wonder why there were more slave collars available than there were us. Perhaps that man, who was oppressing us, secretly feared us. To alleviate the anxiety of a potential rebellion, he kept an excessive supply of slave collars at hand.
If my speculation was correct, it provided a small sense of relief. Setting aside thoughts about that man, for now, I needed to focus on the prisoners. They had been talking amongst themselves until they caught sight of me, at which point fear washed over their faces, and their voices fell silent.
It wasn’t surprising that they felt apprehensive upon seeing the leader of those who killed their own comrades and captured them. However, it was necessary to make them vigilant of Julius and the other young demons as well because, despite their youthful appearance, they were stronger than any of the prisoners.
“Word has it you’re unhappy with the meals? I’m sorry, but we can’t provide more than what’s already allocated. We need to eat too, you know.”
“Yeah, so what? The humans are complaining about not having enough to eat! If that’s the case, prioritize us, you mutant bastards!”
The one who snapped at me was one of the deserters we had captured during the initial attack. His skin had lost its healthy glow compared to back then, and his unkempt hair and overgrown stubble gave him a shabby appearance. Their equipment, already in a sorry state, had further deteriorated during the march.
They looked quite haggard, having been forced to march without proper meals or breaks. Yet, these pitiful deserters behaved as if they were still in a position of authority. It seemed that for these people, demons were nothing but tools of war. Even after becoming prisoners, they couldn’t change their mindset.
“That’s right!”
“Give us more food!”
As one of them grew more confident, the rest of the prisoners followed suit, making their demands with a pronounced air of arrogance. While I didn’t particularly mind being berated, I couldn’t help but wonder why they could maintain such a haughty attitude.
“You can speak your mind, but do you really understand your position?”
“What’s with the high and mighty attitude? I know! You’re taking us alive to the capital, right? Then feed us properly! We’ll starve to death at this rate!”
Ah, that’s why they were so brazen. Perhaps some of the Imperial soldiers had let slip unnecessary information, leading them to believe that their lives could be used as bargaining chips.
But they were mistaken. Too mistaken. These prisoners not only misunderstood their own predicament but also had no clue about what lay ahead for them. While I wasn’t Bolts, it seemed necessary to make it crystal clear for their sake.
“Indeed, we’ve been instructed not to let you die if we can help it,” I confirmed.
“I knew it! So, if…”
“Don’t misunderstand. ‘If we can help it’ doesn’t mean ‘we must’. If a few of you die, we’ll receive a mild reprimand at worst, and that’ll be the end of it. Your lives are worth no more than that to the Imperial soldiers.”
I knew I would likely face unjust violence when I get reprimanded, but with that man’s strength, it would be impossible for him to inflict a fatal blow on me. Getting punched wouldn’t be much of a problem, but there was no need to let him know that.
As I stated this matter-of-factly, the cocky deserter who had been loud earlier fell silent; he looked taken aback. Perhaps as deserters, they were well aware of the cruelty of Imperial soldiers.
However, there was still a flicker of hostility in their eyes. It wasn’t just the deserters; it was misguided for any of the prisoners to harbor ill will towards us. Because…
“Besides, it’s not a good idea to glare at us or harass child demons. It affects our perception of you,” I continued.
“…Huh? What do you mean we, the humans, have to watch out for damn mutants like you?”
“Of course, because you’ll be turned into demons too.”
In recent times, even minor offenses in the Empire led to being arrested and subsequently transformed into demons before getting sent to the battlefield as part of the demon units. Did they really think they’d remain unscathed if captured by the Imperial army, let alone a demon unit? If that was their belief, then they were far too naive.
The reactions of the prisoners when confronted with reality were neatly divided. On one hand, some of them simply laughed it off, convinced that there was no way it could be true. On the other hand, a look of despair contorted the faces of the rest, particularly those who were deserters, as if they sensed that this was more than an idle threat.
“No way! Trying to scare us won’t work!”
“You guys have attacked a unit of the Imperial Army on the march. I thought you knew there were risks involved… Whether you believe it or not, it is your business. Anyway, understand this: no matter what you say, the portion of your meals won’t change,”
With nothing more to say, I turned on my heel and walked away from the prisoners, rejoining my comrades. Just as we regrouped, our brief respite came to an end, and we resumed our march toward the Imperial capital.
A few days after that exchange, we finally reached the imperial capital. However, it had taken considerably longer than expected, as we had to march at the prisoners’ pace. Our supplies were also running dangerously low; it had truly been a close call.
Since then, only adult demons, especially males, were allowed to speak with the prisoners, and it has proven effective as not a single complaint has arisen from them. It seemed that looks did indeed matter. When Julius saw this, he muttered, “I can’t wait to grow up quickly.”
Returning to the Imperial capital after a long absence, I could clearly see the difference in its state compared to my first visit. Despite it being daytime, the city seemed visibly more dilapidated. There were hardly any voices from the capital to be heard, and the once bustling streets were now sparsely populated. The vibrancy I remembered seemed to exist only in the memories of the people.
Even the mightiest empire on the continent couldn’t escape the ravages of war. Even if they had repelled the Republic’s invasion, how long would it take for the Empire to return to its pre-war glory? Or was it even possible to return to the way it used to be? Well, that wasn’t something I needed to worry about.
“Demons, the regiment commander is calling for you! Hurry up and go!”
“Yes, Tigar, Zald, Asumi… let’s go,” I said.
Before returning to the dilapidated barracks assigned to the “Special Operations” unit, we were summoned by that man. It seemed that the regiment commander, namely Marcellus, was calling for us. I had no intention of defying the order, and I also wanted to see Marcellus’s face after a long time. I led the three central figures of the Special Operations to follow him.
Marcellus’s office was located in a building right next to the barracks assigned for demons. Our barracks were in a severely deteriorated condition, while this building seemed brand new. I was quite jealous to see that it likely had no gaps or such issues.
After undergoing a body check by the building’s guards, we entered the structure. Although it was called a body check, we had already stowed our weapons in the wagon before coming here, so there was no reason for any issues to arise. Perhaps because the guards knew this, the inspection was rather sloppy.
“…. I’ll never get used to being touched like this.”
“Well, would you have preferred not to come?”
“Ugh… no, that’s not it.”
“Then endure it. It’s even worse for human women.” Zald said.
However, Asumi wore a displeased expression. Before she was a demon, she was a woman. There was no reason for her to be happy about being touched by a male guard she didn’t even like. Her reaction was only natural.
But there was a reason why Asumi still accompanied us. Knowing that reason, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy for her strong desire to go with us, even if it meant enduring this.
“Ah, you’ve finally arrived. I’ve been waiting for ages.”
As we entered the building, we were greeted by Decius. He was a subordinate of Marcellus, but he had risen through the ranks and now served as the deputy regiment commander, Marcellus’s right-hand man.
Decius, like Marcellus, was a person who didn’t discriminate against demons, which was unusual among the Empire’s soldiers. I heard that he had worked hard to turn Marcellus’s proposal for better treatment into a feasible plan. Like Marcellus, he was both a comrade in arms and a benefactor to us.
“Deputy Regiment Commander Decius! I have came….”
“You don’t need to bother with formalities. But more importantly, I have something to discuss with you regarding the large number of prisoners you’ve brought. Come this way.”
“Huh? But what about my report…?”
“You can leave it to the demons. Those who have actually fought on the front lines will be able to provide a more detailed report.”
“Yes! You lot, make sure you show proper respect to the regiment commander!”
Our superior, who seemed about to say something after saluting, was led away by Decius before he could speak. Decius had something to discuss regarding the prisoners. While that man might have had something to say, Decius had known him longer than I had. There was no reason for me to be concerned about that.
Leaving aside that man, I noticed that Decius gave me a knowing nod as he departed. I understood what he wanted to convey. With a subtle nod in response, I led the three others toward Marcellus’s office.
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