Chapter 88 – ‘We might be able to negotiate peace!’
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While Rina was still preoccupied with her inner state of mind, Clara managed to regain her composure after hearing the horrible news from Fran about the demons. So she asked, preparing herself for the worst. “Has the invasion begun?”

Fran shook her head. “No, not yet... Or at least, that's what they think.”

They?”

At Clara's prompt to elaborate on the statement, Fran could only smile wryly. “King Loki and his inner circle.”

...I don't mean it in a bad way, but I'm surprised they let you in their circle. I had the impression that they hated you and that you returned that feeling.”

Clara's comment caused the elf to let out a dry chuckle again. “It was a coincidence. I actually visited the Royal Palace to report something to former King Thor. But his son somehow managed to get wind of my intentions and intercepted me. So, I was forced to speak to the new King instead. It was during this audience, that the urgent news was delivered by a panicked messenger. Only thanks that I was allowed to attend the emergency meetings that followed.”

When Clara heard the former High Priestess's explanation, she could only look at her in astonishment. “I'm amazed that they didn't throw you out.”

Don't underestimate me, I may have fallen, but I'm not entirely powerless yet. I still have enough sway over the common folk that a threat or two work like a miracle.”

It didn't take long for Clara's feelings for Fran to develop further into admiration. After all, Clara knew very well, how difficult it was to achieve what the elf had, especially as a commoner. Unfortunately, it wasn't the time for small-talk, so Clara pulled herself out of her stupor immediately after to bring the conversation back on track. “So, why do you, or they, think the Demon Invasion hasn't started yet?”

Although I said earlier that a demon army has appeared, I don't think it was an actual, organised army. They were just monsters, mindlessly destroying everything in the villages where they suddenly appeared. After that, they have seemed to scatter in all directions.”

Aren't we then also in danger?” Marianne chimed in, having been silent since the beginning of the conversation.

Clara shook her head. “I think as long as we're in the capital, we're safe for now. While I don't know how the knights would fare against an entire army, a small group of stragglers shouldn't be a problem.”

That's right,” Fran added to reassure Marianne, but then continued in a more sombre voice, “Sadly, the unfortified and unprotected villages along the western border that are not yet engulfed in flames, are not so lucky. It's only a matter of time before they'll get annihilated.”

Then shouldn't the king send messengers to those villages to tell them to escape?”

This time, it was Fran who shook her head at Marianne's question. “He has already rejected that notion. That retard of a king won't do anything for the commoners unless he and his faction have something to gain from his actions. Besides... even I think that it's a bad idea to send people outside these walls. With the number of demons now roaming around, small, untrained groups of people travelling outside are likely to get killed anyway. Plus, we don't even know, if there are still any intact villages along the border in the first place.”

Then what about sending out a subjugation army?”

While sending out a large army to sweep across the lands is impossible, as it would leave the capital unprotected, it would indeed be a good idea to send out smaller teams of trained knights to thin out the number of demons. Unfortunately, as I've said before, the king probably won't do that.”

Hearing this, both Marianne and Clara visibly grimaced and clenched their firsts, the latter asking, “So the Royal Palace's plan is it to do nothing and die without resistance?”

Fran only shrugged at Clara's comment. After all, she had the same thoughts about the new king. “It seems King Loki is confident about the defensive walls here and the strength of his army.”

While Fran, Marianne, and Clara were busy being dumbfounded by the new king's stupid decisions and measures, Rina actually thought that the plan might work. After all, she had some insight into the Duke's plans, that the other three didn't. She knew that Duke Thalas was secretly gathering a small group of elite fighters to kill the Demon Lord, the head of the would-be demon army. This meant, that everyone else just had to survive until the Demon Lord was dead.

The only problem with this plan was that it only worked on two assumptions.

Firstly, the elite task force sent by the Duke, which would presumably include Rina, would have to be able to get to the Demon Lord first, and then kill him afterwards. However, with no information on his strength available, it was more than questionable whether this could be done successfully.

Secondly, nobody really knew, whether killing the demons' leader would make their army disappear. So even if the imaginative task force were to succeed, it was still possible for the Valkyria Kingdom to fall during the demon invasion.

So, while Rina did think, that Duke Thalas' plan might work, she couldn't help but also agree with the other three's sentiment and marvel at the sloppiness and lack of foresight of this country's leaders. To make matters worse, all the preparations made by the former King Thor were literally smashed into pieces by his successor's new laws. As a result, even though Rina didn't understand much about the politics of this world, she knew that at least this kingdom would be doomed if the Duke's plan failed.

With this thought, Rina once again resolved herself to train harder and do her best, when her time came. However, not for the sake of this world, but for the sake of her friends' continued existence, even at the cost of her own life.

Meanwhile, Clara and Marianne were also looking down, pondering their future. Seeing this, Fran clapped her hands loudly to get their attention. When they, including Rina, then a looked at her, she smiled and comforted them thinking thinking, that the trio were depressive because of their bleak future.

No need to be too worried for now. I also have two not-so-bad news.” Having said that, Fran raised her index finger. “Firstly, we are safe for the foreseeable future.”

Clara raised her eyebrows. “What makes you say that?”

A large amount of demons appeared across the western border out of nowhere at the same time. Usually, a Demon-Spawning-Cloud accumulates slowly over time. At least, that's how it's been in the past. So I'm sure the process has been sped up in this case. There's no way, it didn't cost a huge amount of Mana. Even the leaders of the demons would need time to regather their strength before they attack.”

After a short pause, Fran raised her middle finger next to the index finger, which was already up. “Secondly, I've actually met two of their leaders and talked to them.”

While Marianne and Clara suddenly stood up and slammed their hands out of shock on the table, clattering the teacups on it, Rina just looked at them in confusion. After all, with the countless fantasy novels she had read in her past life, it wasn't strange to her at all, that the human races and the demons could converse with each other.

Fran, noticing the lack of reaction from the red-haired girl, realised that Rina didn't really understand how big the news was. So, she looked at her to get her attention and began to explain.

Demons are usually mindless beasts, monsters that kill and destroy for the sake of it. They only act alone, never in groups. This is why they are normally manageable by a handful of knights or a larger group of untrained peasants. However, this also means that things get complicated when they start to coordinate. This seems to be the case with the prophesied Demon Invasion. It's the fact that they'll act together that makes them so dangerous, not their numbers.”

Do they suddenly become intelligent?”

Fran shook her head at her pupil's question. “I can't say that for sure, but I highly doubt it. But what I can say is, that those usually mindless beasts obey the commands of the Demon King and the other high-ranking demons.”

At this point, it was Clara who chimed in, “Wait, it's the first time I've heard of high-ranking demons and leaders other than the Demon King! There are ranks within the demons? And several are intelligent?”

Fran could only smile wryly at the blonde's interruption. After all, she was the one who had taught the trio in front of her about the demons. So it was understandable that Clara was upset at learning something new about the demons this late into the game.

Well, until recently, I wasn't entirely sure about the existence of high-ranking demons either. After all, there were only tales about them in ancient scrolls. Those sources can hardly be taken seriously.”

After Fran's excuse-like explanation, Clara calmed down again and sat down. “So we know now, that there are intelligent demons besides the Demon King. What is so good about this information?”

You don't understand it!” As Fran said, she showed a hopeful, bright smile that the other three had rarely seen from the usually mature elf. “I've talked to them! We could understand each other!”

Clara, Marianne, and Rina still didn't understand what Fran was trying to say. So, Clara spoke up as a representative for them, “I still don't get it.”

Annoyed at Clara's lack of foresight, it was Fran's turn to slam her hands on the table.

We might be able to negotiate peace!”

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