I Want To Die One Day Before You - Chapter 59
06_The story of Tarek, the third royal prince
Rufus, having returned to the demon subjugation army, became busier than ever.
Though he had allied himself with Demon King Audixus, he could not immediately embark on the planned endeavors.
The demon subjugation army had only recently been formally assembled. Announcing the capture of the Demon King at this juncture would certainly raise suspicions. It would also be peculiar to other people’s eyes that the Demon King would surrender so easily.
Because…
“The demons must surely be encamped in the canyon.”
“No, they are by the lake.”
“What are you saying? We must head to the caves!”
…Because the officers of the subjugation army, who were supposed to be in charge, still had no clue about the demons’ whereabouts.
‘Idiots,’ Rufus thought.
He sighed deeply to himself as he listened to the officers’ argument, with them masquerading their squabbles as a heated military discussion.
Under a large tent, all the officers had gathered for a meeting. Rufus, too, had the authority to attend the meeting as a lieutenant.
“How can the demons hide in a canyon? They are too large to fit in such places.”
“A lake, you say? That’s preposterous. Where could they possibly hide in such a vast area?”
“And caves? How could such a number of demons conceal themselves there?”
The officers continued to argue loudly, unable to lower their voices.
Rufus, who had been watching the meeting with a stern face for a long while, subtly turned his head.
At the head of the long wooden table sat Third Prince Tarek.
He was the battalion commander of the subjugation army, appointed as the leader of the troops. A royal, inheriting the bloodline of the king, he was the most powerful magic user among all in the subjugation army.
That made him valuable.
The rest were worthless.
“Get to the point. Where are the demons now?”
Prince Tarek asked, yawning.
“In the canyon!”
“By the lake!”
“The caves!”
Three captains shouted out their answers simultaneously.
“So, the demons could be in the canyon, by the lake, or in the caves.”
Prince Tarek concluded, tapping his fingers on the map in boredom.
“Fine. Then send scouts to the canyon, the lake, and the caves.”
“Yes, understood!”
At Prince Tarek’s command, the officers’ faces finally brightened. They were confident they would find traces of the demons in at least one of those places.
‘As if that would happen.’
Rufus scoffed inwardly.
Prince Tarek’s scouts would return without any success. The location of the demon legion dispatched by the Demon King was neither in the canyon, by the lake, nor in the caves.
It was in the forest, right beside the troops.
The demons were hiding in a forest not far from where the subjugation army was stationed.
Of course, Rufus had no intention of sharing this information with the officers. Even if he told them the demons were in the forest, it would make no difference.
The vanguard sent earlier to subjugate the demons had almost been annihilated. The newly recruited soldiers, hastily assembled, were barely trained—a ragtag army at best.
Even if he informed Prince Tarek of the demons’ whereabouts now, it would put the innocent peasant soldiers in danger.
“Let’s conclude today’s meeting here. We will proceed with the planned soldier training this afternoon.”
At Prince Tarek’s declaration, everyone straightened their backs, cheering.
“Thank you all for your hard work. It seems things are finally going well.”
Prince Tarek said with a dry encouragement, standing up from his seat.
As he headed back to his tent, figures clung to him like ghosts.
“Your Highness!”
The royal knights, who had been waiting on both sides, rushed towards him.
“What is it?”
“Such a wise decision, Your Highness. To search all three places simultaneously! You truly are exceptional!”
The royal knights excessively praised Prince Tarek.
“Sending out a search party is a matter of course.”
“But to decide to search all three places at once!”
“It must not have been an easy decision, truly remarkable!”
The praises towards Prince Tarek from the royal knights were unceasing.
‘What a bunch of brown-nosers.’
Rufus sardonically thought, clicking his tongue as he watched the royal knights.
The reason for the royal knights’ fawning over Prince Tarek was simple—they did not want to go to battle.
The soldiers who had first faced the demons returned in a terrible state—some without arms, some without legs, and some without heads.
The royal knights didn’t want to end up like that. They would rather be Prince Tarek’s footmen than prey for the demons.
Thus, they desperately flattered the prince, trying to stay by his side as long as possible.
