Got Completely Fooled
1201 Words
The Lizardmen Territory was situated directly to the right of the Demon King's Domain. Although it wasn’t too far from the core territory, they still had the audacity to act obedient on the surface while defying in secret.
Because in their minds, the Demon King's forces were too preoccupied to deal with rebels.
More importantly, they hadn't explicitly declared rebellion—merely withheld their tributes.
If the question was whether they could win in a fight, the answer was clear: absolutely not. The Headless Knight and the Black Knight, both elite warriors, were far beyond what the Lizardmen could handle.
But if the question was whether they could resist, then perhaps for a time. The Lizardmen were a large and populous species, and they believed that the current state of the Demon King’s domain wouldn’t allow for prolonged engagements.
—At least, that was their assumption.
It’s worth noting that most ordinary monsters in these territories had no idea about this so-called “betrayal”. The decision to stop paying tribute was made solely by the lords and their inner circles.
After all, in the hearts of most common monsters, the Demon King’s title still held great weight.
Only the lords themselves saw the new Demon King's weakness and dared to entertain treacherous ambitions.
Yes—though the Lizardmen had only stopped their tributes, it wouldn’t be a lie to say that they had also set their sights on the Demon King's throne.
If that young and tiny Crimson Dragon could be crowned as Demon King, then why not a Lizardman?
This burning desire blazed within the current Lizardman leader—Kalakapapa.
“Hisss—Are you sure about that vampire?”
Kalakapapa, a towering lizard standing on two legs, covered in green scales and gripping a mage’s staff, narrowed his eyes.
His question was directed toward a mysterious figure, a hooded humanoid shrouded in black and violet robes.
The robe concealed most of their features, but from the lower half of their visible face and the faint silhouette beneath the fabric, it was clear—this was a woman.
However, a human woman had no business being here.
"You need not concern yourself, Lord of the Lizardmen~" the woman spoke in a melodious tone, like the song of a nightingale. She gazed through the grand hall’s window, down at the waiting vampire envoy, and continued, "That one comes as a mere emissary from the Demon King's Domain, hoping to persuade the Lizardmen to renew their allegiance."
Kalakapapa remained silent.
As a ruler, he had enough intelligence to see the situation clearly.
If he were to meet with the vampire and stall for time, that would only be seen as “uncooperative.”
But if he refused outright—or worse, killed the envoy—then the Lizardman Territory would truly be branded as rebels.
"…If you wish to see them, then see them. But whether the Demon King’s Domain is even worth our loyalty anymore… that, I still question."
With those words, the hooded woman stepped back.
And in an instant, a shimmering portal of distorted space bloomed open behind her.
The air wavered as if seen through the heat of a raging fire, and as she stepped inside, her form faded into transparency, disappearing from the Material Plane.
"I trust you'll consider this carefully~" she said, vanishing completely.
It was clear now.
She was not human—but a half-elf.
And a half-elf capable of plane-walking without casting spells was no ordinary figure.
Now alone in the grand hall, Kalakapapa pondered for a moment before making his decision.
"Send word to the envoy," he commanded, "Tell them that the Lizardmen are still recovering from the last war and that I am too busy to meet with them. That is all."
"…"
A similar scene unfolded in both the Centaur Territory and the Gorgon (Medusa) Territory.
The Centaur Lord at least entertained a brief conversation with the vampire emissary, but in the end, he too refused to commit to resuming tribute payments.
Meanwhile, on a Cliff Overlooking the Demon King's Domain…
The hooded half-elf woman stood atop a rocky outcrop, surveying the lands below. From here, she had a clear view of both the Demon King’s Domain and the neighboring territories.
Around her, harpies soared through the sky, completely ignoring her presence—as if she weren’t even there.
"…You knew that Ira Elcaras had joined the Demon King's forces, didn’t you?"
A second woman’s voice suddenly cut through the wind behind her.
Yet the half-elf did not turn to acknowledge it.
She remained still.
The other woman pressed further, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
The meaning of the question was clear—she was asking why the half-elf hadn’t told the monster lords about Ira’s presence.
"I don’t intend to do anything. I just want to watch."
The half-elf spoke casually, her eyes still fixed on the Demon King’s Domain.
"A genius appeared on the battlefield while I was asleep…" she mused, "But by the time I woke up, he had already disappeared from the front lines. What a shame."
Though her words were somewhat roundabout, their meaning was clear.
"You want to provoke a war?" the other woman asked, skeptical.
The half-elf simply shook her head.
"I only wish to witness the younger generation’s brilliance. Whether it leads to war or mere battle… makes no difference to me."
She then added with a sly smile, "Aren’t you curious about the Consul?"
The other woman hesitated, but then admitted, "Of course, I am. The Consul—"
"A being who transforms their own body into a vessel for the Runes of the World…"
"A being who replaces their spine with a Mana Construct that allows them to carry the ‘Symbolic Mana’ of the World Tree itself…"
"A being who deceives the world and siphons its power for battle…"
Her voice trembled slightly—not out of fear, but out of awe.
"Such a concept is entirely alien to this plane’s supernatural system."
The half-elf woman—Wenresa Iluvita—smiled.
"If I had known someone like him would appear, I would have awakened much sooner."
The other woman paused for a moment, then asked, "When exactly did you go into hibernation, Wenresa Iluvita?"
Wenresa tilted her head in thought.
"I don’t remember the exact time," she admitted, "but it was before the Duchy split into Hazard Duchy and Caesar Duchy."
Now, in the present day, Caesar Duchy was long gone, and Hazard Duchy had reclaimed its former unity—as if nothing had changed at all.
Only the name had.
"…So that means… um… a long, long time ago?"
"A thousand years? Two thousand?"
"You don't even remember, do you?"
"A bit awkward, isn’t it?" Wenresa chuckled. "But you understand— for us, time has little meaning.*"
- Writer
