Zeke spotted the Monster Legion and a horde of magical beasts swarming toward Himonas Castle and immediately sought out Alicia.
"The numbers are considerable."
If things continued like this, it wouldn't have been surprising if Himonas Castle fell.
When he entered the grand audience hall, not only Alicia but all the members of the Himonas Knight Order had gathered there.
Alicia spoke to Zeke as he entered.
"Where have you been? Anyway, Zeke Draker, we've received a missive from them." He took the letter she handed him.
Zeke's expression shifted oddly as he read their message.
"Hand me over?"
The missive stated that if Alicia captured Zeke Draker alive and turned him over, they would withdraw completely from Himonas.
Alicia said to Zeke,
"Why would the Empire want you, Zeke Draker?"
"Well, I don't know the exact reason, but I suppose it's because I've been dismantling their Monster Legion this whole time..."
Alicia nodded at Zeke's words.
"That could be it. Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter. I, Alicia, would never abandon a comrade."
The Alicia that Zeke knew was stubbornly uncompromising.
Even in his previous life, once she considered someone a friend, she never betrayed them.
Knowing this about her only made Zeke more worried.
"This time, I won't let the same tragedy unfold as back then."
With that resolve in his heart, Zeke said to Alicia,
"Grand Duke, there's something I'd like to discuss."
"Something to discuss? What is it, Zeke Draker?"
Zeke approached Alicia and whispered something into her ear.
Her eyes widened as she listened.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think? Can you do it?"
After pondering Zeke's words, Alicia nodded.
"I'll give it a try."
Zeke smiled in satisfaction at her response.
"Good. Then let's trick them spectacularly."
*
Icaros, the high-rank Nightmare Demon commanding the northern Monster Legion, fell into thought upon receiving the missive from Himonas.
"Hmm, the Grand Duke of the North is bringing Zeke Draker, captured, to us?"
The low-rank Nightmare Demon who had delivered the message knelt before Icaros and said,
"Yes, they said they used poison to capture Zeke Draker because he was so strong." Icaros let out a scoffing laugh at the low-rank Nightmare Demon's words.
"They're trying some petty trick."
As vassals of The One Who Dreams Endlessly, the Nightmare Demons were allied with the vassals of The Squelching Pit of Darkness.
Because of that, he had already heard from Lopocale about Zeke Draker's inner mindscape.
The missive had been bait thrown out to sow division between Himonas and Zeke in the first place.
Yet, the famously unyielding Grand Duke of the North had immediately used poison to seize Zeke Draker—this was clearly a trap to lure them in and counterattack.
The low-rank Nightmare Demon grinned wickedly at Icaros's words.
"They've chosen the wrong opponent. The vassals from other parts of the Demon Realm are brutish fools, but you, Icaros, are a strategist who has led countless battlefields to victory through cunning."
Icaros, slightly puffed up by his subordinate's flattery, said,
"The foolish humans probably think we won't see through their trap. Recalling what Lopocale told me about him, he's likely planning to pretend to be captured and strike at me."
With that, he paused in thought and came up with a clever counterplan.
Icaros grinned and said,
"Good. Rather than that, we can use their plan to counterattack ourselves."
He rose from his seat and instructed the low-rank Nightmare Demon,
"Tell the Grand Duke's group to bring the poisoned Zeke Draker into our camp."
The low-rank Nightmare Demon looked startled and said,
"Isn't it dangerous to let the humans into our camp?" Icaros shook his head.
"No, they won't know what power we Nightmare Demons possess. Before Zeke Draker can strike at us, I'll dominate their minds and the Grand Duke's spirit with hypnosis, and Himonas Castle will fall into our hands without a fight."
Icaros's hypnosis, as a high-rank Nightmare Demon, was impossible for even the strongest human to resist.
The low-rank Nightmare Demon nodded at Icaros's scheme.
"You're right. The humans won't even imagine your plan, Icaros. I'll bring them here!" *
The Himonas Knight Order, led by Alicia, entered the Nightmare Demons' camp, dragging the bound Zeke Draker along with the Black Spirit Unit, the Barbarian Unit, and the Knights of Thurn.
The Nightmare Demons' camp was set up near the Gate that the Himonas Knight Order had discovered, at the site of the Elder Dragon Ruins.
Alicia looked around.
In the center of the camp was the Gate Zeke had mentioned.
"So that's where they're summoning the Monster Legion from."
She wanted to charge in and smash the Gate right away, but with monsters filling the surroundings, she couldn't act rashly. She ground her teeth inwardly as she proceeded deeper into the camp.
At that moment, Nightmare Demons emerged from a cave.
Thud!
The Nightmare Demons, spreading their wings and flying in from the sky, landed in front of the Himonas Knight Order.
Among them, the largest and most robust-looking one stepped forward before Alicia.
He looked at her and said,
"You're the Grand Duke of the North? I am Icaros, the demonkin leading this legion."
Alicia didn't know much about demonkin, but if she had Zeke's knowledge, she would have guessed he was from the Tuma Tribe rather than a Nightmare Demon, given the intense pressure he exuded.
Having heard from Zeke that the Empire was summoning demonkin, Alicia nodded without showing surprise.
"Yes. As agreed, I've captured Zeke Draker, so withdraw the monsters and magical beasts from Himonas."
Icaros grinned and said,
"Unexpected. I heard the Grand Duke of the North never compromises. Does even your resolve bend before an overwhelming force?"
Alicia bit her lip, her face twisted in frustration.
She glared at Icaros and said,
"...I have a duty to protect the North, no matter what." Icaros burst into hearty laughter at Alicia's response.
"Puhaha! Yes, humans are always skilled at rationalizing things to their advantage.
I understand."
With a haughty expression, Icaros pointed to Zeke, bound behind Alicia.
"Hand him over. Then we'll withdraw the monsters and magical beast legion from Himonas."
"You're not going to break your promise, are you?"
"Of course not. Only humans break promises and deals. To demonkin, they are sacred. We never do such things."
Alicia glared at Icaros before gesturing with her hand.
Then Sven dragged the bound Zeke toward Icaros.
Icaros nodded to a nearby Nightmare Demon.
A slender Nightmare Demon, whose build was incomparable to Icaros's, approached Zeke with a tense expression.
The Nightmare Demon took the chains from Sven and led Zeke Draker toward Icaros.
Alicia said to Icaros,
"Keep your promise."
As she turned to leave the camp, grinding her teeth, Icaros called out,
"Ah, wait a moment."
"What is it, demonkin?"
Icaros grinned and said,
"It seems the accounting isn't quite finished yet." "What trick is this? We've done exactly as you said..." It was then.
Sven, who had been behind her, lunged at Alicia and seized her.
"Sven! What are you doing?!"
When Alicia turned her head, Sven's eyes were unfocused.
She whipped around and glared at Icaros.
"You... what have you done?!" It was then.
Not the large Nightmare Demon who had introduced himself as Icaros, but the slender one holding Zeke's chains stepped forward and looked at Alicia struggling against Sven.
"A mere human daring to play tricks on highborn Nightmare Demons..."
The Nightmare Demon forced the chained Zeke Draker to his knees and said,
"I am Icaros, the high-rank Nightmare Demon leading this legion." Icaros had hidden his true identity to prepare a counterattack.
Icaros pulled the chained Zeke forward.
"Your plan has gone awry, Zeke Draker. My body scent is a potent hypnotic incense. Any human who inhales it is inevitably brainwashed and becomes my captive."
Alicia ground her teeth at Icaros's words.
"Z-Zeke Draker! Snap out of it!"
Realizing the plan had failed, she cried out desperately.
Icaros burst into amused laughter.
"Hahaha, it's useless. No human can escape my hypnotic incense."
The eyes of all the Himonas Knights who had come with Alicia were unfocused.
Seeing this, Icaros smirked and said,
"As promised, I'll withdraw the magical beasts and monsters. Because you'll open the castle gates for us yourselves."
Alicia glared at Icaros, grinding her teeth in rage while held by Sven.
Icaros approached her.
"Don't make such a frustrated face. I'll personally comfort you. A strong-willed girl like you is all the more fun to torment..." Stab!
In an instant, Icaros's expression changed.
He couldn't continue speaking as he looked at the sword protruding from his abdomen. "Wha? What?"
Icaros slowly turned his head.
Zeke, gripping Roland, looked down at him with cold eyes.
The Black Spirit Unit and Barbarians behind had already subdued the other Nightmare Demons.
The situation had reversed in the blink of an eye.
Icaros stared at Zeke in disbelief.
"H-How?"
Zeke, who had overcome the high-rank Nightmare Demon Pan with his mental strength, could easily resist Icaros's hypnotic incense.
Zeke said to the shocked Icaros,
"I already knew you were the leader. Using my plan against me was a good idea, but you didn't realize that was part of my plan too."
As Zeke spoke, a white light emanated from the Roland in his hand.
Crackle-crackle-crackle—
Roland, embedded in Icaros's body, unleashed bolts of light.
"Arrrgh!"
Icaros screamed and collapsed.
Chains shot from Zeke's hand and wrapped around Icaros.
Now bound, Icaros couldn't accept the complete reversal of his situation.
Alicia, who had pretended to be restrained by Sven, casually shook him off.
No matter the hypnosis, it was impossible for Sven to overpower Alicia, who possessed the power of a great strength wielder.
Alicia glared at the fallen Icaros and ground her teeth.
"You insolent bastard, what were you going to do to me? Should I just crush your head underfoot right now? Damn demonkin scum."
Zeke stopped the fuming Alicia.
"We can't kill him yet. We need to find out why they're attacking Himonas."
Zeke gripped the chains binding Icaros and said,
"Tell me whose orders you're following to attack Himonas."
As Icaros trembled in rage at being outmaneuvered and refused to answer, Zeke unleashed Sacred Radiance Technique again.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
"Arrrgh!"
Icaros foamed at the mouth from the pain twisting through his muscles.
Zeke looked at him again and said,
"I'll ask once more. Why are you attacking Himonas?"
The power of Sacred Radiance Technique, anathema to demonkin, was enough to break the will of the tough high-rank Nightmare Demon Icaros.
"W-Wait! I'll talk, so please, not that...!" Zeke nodded as if to say, speak.
Then Icaros said to Zeke,
"While attacking Himonas, we were ordered to search for something."
"So what is it I'm asking about." Zeke paused at his words.
"King? What king are you talking about?"
When Icaros hesitated, glancing warily, Zeke unleashed Sacred Radiance Technique again.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
"Gurgle! P-Please!"
"What king are you searching for? Speak quickly."
Icaros looked at Zeke and said,
"The tomb of King Caligula!"
Zeke halted the Sacred Radiance Technique at Icaros's words.
He sat on the ground and looked at the collapsed Icaros. "You're searching for the tomb of Caligula, the vampire king." Icaros nodded.
"Y-Yes."
Zeke furrowed his brow at Icaros's words.
"Nightmare Demons searching for Caligula's tomb? Does that mean someone in the Empire knows about it?"
Just then, Liam shouted while looking up at the cliff.
"My lord! A magical beast has appeared above!"
Zeke hurriedly looked up at where Liam pointed.
He instantly recognized the identity of the beast that had appeared there.
A grotesque form combining a sheep and a wild boar.
"Docheol."
One of the Four Fiends, Docheol, had revealed itself.