The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 396

A nervous feeling hung in the air in Cairo. People whispered in the streets, and even the sunny sky seemed darker than usual. King Daniel Cairo felt this worry deeply.

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the royal palace corridors as a group of officials hurried along.

They walked quickly and with purpose, and upon reaching the conference room, the guards politely flung the doors wide open.

“His Majesty, the King of Cairo, enters!”

Inside the conference room, the assembled high-ranking officials rose as one, bowing their heads towards Daniel Cairo.

Daniel Cairo nodded slightly, accepting their respect with practiced ease.

With a slight nod, he noticed the greetings of the high-ranking officials, and after taking his seat at the head of the table, he invited them to be seated as well.

Once everyone was seated, Daniel Cairo got straight to the point.

“I have received reports that the Chronos Empire has broken the truce and crossed the border. This is something we did not desire, but it is also something we anticipated and prepared for. Norbert, report on the current enemy situation.”

Norbert was the man in charge of intelligence.

In the recent reorganization, Daniel Cairo, recognizing the importance of intelligence, had placed him in a key position.

“The Chronos Empire is estimated to have gathered approximately 500,000 troops for this attack. This is a larger number than in the previous war, and we have also confirmed information that they have sent troops to the Humberto Kingdom as well. The problem isn’t just the numbers. It seems they intend to secure victory in this war, as they have summoned the Chronos Knights and all the mages within their nation. If they operate a separate unit using ‘Teleport’ as they did in the last war, no area in Cairo will be safe.”

“Sir Simon, Knight Commander, what is the current state of Cairo’s forces?”

He turned to Sir Simon to speak.

With the death of Count Nicholas, Simon, the vice-commander of the Royal Knights, had taken over the military.

“We have issued a call to arms to the nobles of Cairo. We had already obtained their consent, so we plan to complete the formation of troops within the next three days, as they have been training. And we have completed preparations for the western front. In addition to magical defenses, we have also secured a route to provide immediate support through the warp gate, a magical doorway that allowed soldiers to travel quickly.”

“What about the mages?”

“We have hired as many war mages as possible. They have been receiving military training in Cairo for several months and will be deployed to the western front immediately. Furthermore, we have summoned all the mercenary groups operating in the Salamander Continent, the land to the south. The success fee is quite substantial, as it involves facing the Chronos Empire, but thanks to this, we were able to deploy an additional 100,000 troops to the western front.”

Following Simon, the person in charge of finance spoke.

“Thanks to the war funds prepared in advance, there are no issues with the stock of magical supplies or the mercenaries’ pay. This is thanks to the full support of the nobles of Cairo. We also have sufficient military provisions, so we can endure even if it turns into a prolonged war.”

The past year showed that Cairo had not been idle.

At the sight of the high-ranking officials proving their worth in turn, Daniel Cairo spoke with a determined face.

“The history of Cairo has always been troubled by the invasion of foreign powers. Just a few years ago, Cairo’s power structure was torn apart by the interference of other countries, and Marquis Benedict even started a rebellion with Chronos backing him. Cairo was weak then. But not now. We have tasted freedom, and we know that we must become strong ourselves to protect our rights.”

His voice was weighty.

There was no trace of the youthful king.

He overwhelmed the audience, showing eyes burning with strong desire.

“Chronos’ betrayal was expected by everyone. We have been constantly preparing for this day, and therefore, we will not fall easily. Prove to the enemies that the Kingdom of Cairo is not an easy country to cross the border into at any time. If they set foot on our territory, they will pay a terrible price. We will be with Dimitri and the future, and we will no longer be a country that succumbs to power.”

Blood boiled.

Daniel Cairo rose from his seat.

As everyone followed suit, he met the gazes of the high-ranking officials and spoke powerfully.

“Fight. Defeat the enemy. In the chaos ahead, in the hellish battlefield, I will be with you as well.”

The next few days were a blur of frantic activity in Cairo as they prepared for war. Then, the news came – the western front was under attack.

It was a fierce time.

Due to the constant attacks from the Chronos Empire, the western front was filled with screams of agony.

“Aargh!”

“Don’t back down! If we retreat, everything is over!”

On the ramparts, Cairo’s soldiers wielded their weapons with desperation.

Part of the ramparts had collapsed due to continuous magical attacks, and the Chronos soldiers crashed against the walls like a furious ocean wave, their swords flashing as they cut down anyone in their way.

The ground was hidden under a grim carpet of bodies, both Cairo soldiers and enemies, mixed together in death.

It was precarious, but they endured.

The reason Cairo had not given up until now was thanks to two factors that supported them.

First.

“The left rampart is in danger! Send the reserve forces to support it!”

In the chaotic battlefield, Daniel Cairo was there.

His promise to share the danger was not a lie, and he appeared directly on the western front to inspire courage in the Cairo soldiers.

He did not play a strategically significant role.

The one who actually commanded the soldiers was Marquis Vandenberg, but he ignited the soldiers’ will simply by his presence.

“Die!”

“His Majesty, the King of Cairo, is watching! Fight to the end!”

“Never give in to the enemies!”

Everyone was desperate, and tears welled up.

In the past, Cairo was a country that was not like a country.

Although Daniel Cairo was on the throne, the people of Cairo were pushed down the priority list due to the torn power system.

The empire always came first.

The moment Chronos or Valhalla said they wanted something, Cairo had no choice but to put everything aside and follow their choices.

It was different now.

Daniel Cairo prioritized his country.

He took care of the people’s well-being and was creating a country worthy of the name through the alliance with Dimitri.

Therefore, they could not back down.

How could they give up the freedom they had found?

And second.

Chris rampaged through the battlefield.

A few days ago, Cairo was really on the verge of collapse, but as Dimitri sent reinforcements, the situation was reversed again.

Dimitri’s soldiers, including Chris, showed outstanding power.

They slaughtered the incoming imperial army as soon as they encountered them, and the Phoenix mages exploded with magic, playing the role of a one-man army.

It was a close call.

As if about to collapse, Cairo endured.

Someone might say it was only a week, but it was the result of Cairo’s thorough preparation.

‘The war is not over yet.’

Daniel Cairo clenched his fist.

Of course, the western front was precarious.

But according to the report, Roman Dimitri was moving to break through Valhalla’s siege and help the Humberto Kingdom.

The situation was changing.

From the moment Roman Dimitri joined, they would be able to attempt a counterattack and believed that they could defeat the behemoth known as the Chronos Empire.

Really, perhaps.

“Fight to the end! Show the enemy exactly what kind of country Cairo is!”

He had a feeling that they might win this war.

A space of darkness.

Alexandr stared at several screens with a cold face.

The first screen was Dimitri.

He had tried to destroy the place where Roman Dimitri was not, by mobilizing Mystics and Shadows, but instead, they were annihilated.

The process irritated Alexandr.

Mystic, who specialized in space movement magic, died at the hands of Chris, and Ares was also captured alive by Kevin.

The second screen was Hector.

In fact, Hector was such a weak country that he was not even treated as a variable, and the Sky Tower Master said that he would devour Edwin Hector as planned and destroy them.

But an unexpected situation occurred.

Edwin Hector rather absorbed the Sky Tower Master and reached the 7th Circle.

Alexandr had forced the Sky Mages to promise loyalty. Because of this, he had even held off Valhalla’s attacks for a whole week.

Irritation flared.

This was supposed to be a perfect plan.

Failure was not an option, yet unbelievable things had occurred in two battlefields where he had planted traitors.

And that wasn’t all.

Valhalla had failed to capture Roman Dmitry.

When Alexandr heard that Roman Dmitry had broken through the encirclement, he immediately killed the person who told him the news.

“He’s thrashing to the very end, isn’t he?”

One by one, his plans were crumbling.

This was supposed to be a perfect plan, prepared for years. But Roman Dmitry was changing everything and causing problems all over the continent.

And amidst all this, Roman Dmitry had appeared in Umberto.

The plan to bring down Umberto had also failed, and the report that he had crossed the border was no longer something he could laugh off.

He was angry, and irritation surged.

If things became this complicated, the person he works for might doubt him.

“Roman Dmitry, you are forcing my hand, aren’t you?”

Rumble.

He rose from his seat.

He had tried to conceal his existence until the very last moment, but Roman Dmitry had made that impossible.

He would tear him to shreds. He would ensure that he suffered even in death, as much as he had enraged him.

However, not yet. There was one last thing to confirm.

‘I will send Castro to prove my methods. I will see if he truly cannot be defeated by my methods. If Roman Dmitry is defeated, I will revive his soul and look into his past life. Almost as important as conquering the continent, discovering the life Roman Dmitry has lived is crucial to me.’

It was a personal desire, unrelated to the one he served, a burning desire that the human Alexandr held within his heart.

If so, then the next target was set.

Alexandr’s gaze turned to a screen. ‘Cairo.’

The Western Front. Just as Castro had shouted, Alexandr’s target was the Cairo Kingdom.

Dawn broke. Cairo and Cronos, like a recurring nightmare, fought a battle of death and destruction before the fortress walls.

“Die! Kill all the enemies!”

It was fierce. Amidst the sight of people covered in blood, directing murderous intent towards each other, Alexandr slowly moved towards the fortress walls. It was a rather surreal scene.

Even as a soldier with an arrow through his head fell backward near him, he walked slowly as if he were out for a stroll.

It was then, abruptly, he stopped walking.

From a considerable distance, Alexandr stared at the fortress walls with a calm look.

“It’s over now.”

Whoosh. Mana surged. Alexandr’s fingertips pointed towards the fortress walls.

“Lightning Punishment.”

Flash. A blinding white light flashed from the sky, turning the battlefield as bright as day. People’s ears went momentarily deaf.

Boom! Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom! An enormous explosion tore through their ears. Soldiers screamed, clutching their bleeding ears, but such pain was not their primary concern at that moment.

The lightning destroyed everything it hit. Even though the area was protected by strong magic and many soldiers, it was completely wiped out in an instant, and many people died.

People were stunned, their thought processes stalled. As they struggled to accept that this was reality, the fury from the sky unleashed lightning strikes several times, as if it wasn’t over.

Flash. Rumble. Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble.

The world turned white. The immense power swept away both allies and enemies alike, and there was no way for the Cairo Kingdom to stop it.

The Phoenix mages used defensive magic. Barriers manifested instantly, blocking the lightning, but as the world flashed once more, the barriers shattered, piercing the mages’ heads.

It was overwhelming. With a single spell, countless soldiers were lost.

“…Ah.”

Above the fortress walls, Daniel Cairo stood in the ruined space.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced.

“The one who destroyed Odelia. He is a being who uses the magic of a god. Otherwise, it is impossible to obliterate a capital city with magic.”

That day’s memory sent a chill down his spine.

The mages dared to mention the realm of the 9th Circle, but people at the time were divided, saying it was unrealistic.

It was inevitable. In a situation where even Sheffir’s 8th Circle magic was hard to accept, the fact that the Cronos Empire possessed a 9th Circle mage was something they could not acknowledge.

No, they must not acknowledge it. Facing a 9th Circle mage meant that there was a despair they could not overcome, no matter how hard they struggled.

And before his eyes, Alexandr appeared.

As he watched him walk towards the fortress walls, Daniel Cairo shouted urgently.

“Everyone, retreat! We will leave this place for now and reorganize the situation!”

It was a quick decision. No matter how he thought about it, there was no way to face that monster.

Now was not the time to be stubborn; it was a situation where they had to step back, and the soldiers of Cairo and Dmitry fled the battlefield with terrified faces.

It was a moment when all their efforts became meaningless. They had struggled so hard to defend this place, but their retreating figures were powerless and pathetic.

“Hee hee hee.”

Alexandr laughed as he walked across the battlefield. Watching the people running away as if their feet were on fire, he playfully detonated the magic power at his fingertips.

“Die.”

Boom! Rumble rumble rumble rumble.

The space he pointed to exploded, and countless soldiers were caught in the explosion.

It was fun. At the sight of the enemies who had given up fighting back, Alexandr amplified his voice with mana so that everyone could hear.

“Yes! Scream like that! Fall into despair! Run away like cowards! Let everyone know I am here! Alexandr has arrived in this world! I will rule this continent!”

Finally, Emperor Alexandr revealed his existence.