Put simply, I'm no longer one of Iris and the others' comrades.
"…Hah."
I was never really a comrade to begin with.
I was just a fool who, unknowingly being the Demon Lord, rushed around gathering allies for the hero.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Oh, just remembered something funny. I'm not hiding anything. But I do have a worry."
"A worry?"
"…I'm scared of dying."
I decided to be honest with Iris, thinking she wouldn't be fooled by a lie.
"I've nearly died several times recently, right? I've been through dangerous situations, and just the other day, I was stabbed in the chest."
"Well, yes, that's true. I think you've been through more life-threatening situations than I have."
"And now, I'm feeling scared all of a sudden. Will I be saved if I encounter danger again? I just don't want to face any more dangerous situations."
"...It's shameful that I can't say 'everything will be fine because we're with you.' Despite being by your side all this time, I couldn't protect you."
"No, I don't think it's your fault..."
"But shouldn't everything be okay now? We have quite the force now, don't we? Instructor Cattleya, King Heath... not Prince anymore. Platanus, Saffron, Amaranth, Cineraria, and Jasmine. With eight saintly sword wielders and Hero Shion with us, can't we handle most situations?"
"Yeah, maybe."
"Even if the Demon Lord were to revive right now, couldn't we win? Shion is strong, Amaranth is as strong as Shion, and we have the intelligent Platanus. I don't know how the Demon Lord plans to threaten humanity, but I can't imagine us losing."
We could probably win.
And the Demon Lord, me, would probably die.
I can't think of a way to beat you guys.
Well, it's good if I don't win, anyway.
"If you can't trust us, at least trust Shion. She will always be on your side, no matter what."
Not on my side.
The hero is the greatest enemy to the Demon Lord.
"Shion will definitely protect you. Trust in our invincible hero."
That's why I'm scared.
The prospect of having to fight the invincible hero.
"Ah, right. I shouldn't talk for too long."
Iris muttered, clapping her hands.
"Instructor Cattleya is looking for you. Come with me."
Led by Iris, I entered the round table room.
There, Instructor Cattleya and an elderly man with white hair were waiting at the round table.
"...? Uh..."
Who is this old man?
I've never seen him before in all my time in the castle.
"This is Marshal Crocus. Make sure you greet him properly."
Instructor Cattleya scolded Iris and me with a huff.
"Marshal?"
He's the pinnacle of the military in this country.
However, I've never seen him in any military council or meeting I've participated in, nor has he been by the king's side.
Why is he here now?
Could it be that he's aware of our intentions to appoint Instructor Cattleya as marshal and has come to interfere?
"Ho-ho! No need for formal greetings, just come over here. I've wanted to meet you for a long time."
Saying so, Marshal Crocus beckoned me over.
I sat down in the chair next to where Marshal Crocus was seated.
Iris took a seat next to Instructor Cattleya.
"Even though I'm a marshal, I'm over eighty years old. It's about time I either retire or kick the bucket."
"What are you saying, Marshal..."
Instructor Cattleya seemed flustered by Marshal Crocus's words.
"...So, you're the one who whipped Cattleya into shape, eh?"
"Eh?"
"I've always wanted to resign as marshal. The responsibility is too heavy, too burdensome."
Staring intently at me, Marshal Crocus smiled.
"But, you see, from my perspective, there was no one suitable to whom I could pass the mantle of marshal. The military was filled with either incompetent nobles who couldn't lead a battle, or lunatics who saw soldiers as nothing more than pawns on a chessboard. If I handed it over, I could only imagine the military falling apart."
"Ah."
I inadvertently responded with a lack of enthusiasm.
Honestly, considering I was about to become the Demon Lord, the conversation seemed irrelevant to me.
"Not 'ah', you idiot!"
As if reading my disrespectful thoughts, Instructor Cattleya scolded me angrily.
"This man is Crocus, the undefeated general who boasted an unbeaten record in civil wars for over fifty years! He was once hailed as a hero!"
"No need for old stories. Isn't she a good student after all?"
Crocus laughed heartily.
"However, when I saw Cattleya arrive with the Blazing Sword about ten years ago, something clicked. I thought, 'This girl is the one who should be marshal after me.'"
"Of course, being able to wield a sacred sword was a significant factor. No matter how many thousands of soldiers I could command, to those with a sacred sword, I'd be nothing but trash. I didn't want to hand over command to such people."
"Yes."
"But Cattleya is too kind. She would immediately surrender the Blazing Sword if the king ordered it. She cries when her students die. She's not really cut out for battle."
"Yes."
I found myself increasingly unable to take my eyes off Marshal Crocus.
Thinking even for a moment that this person's story was irrelevant was arrogant of me.
"That's exactly why I wanted to entrust the military's full authority to her. Cattleya, to put it mildly, is not good at command. Her ability to assess situations is low. She rushes into things right in front of her without being able to oversee the whole picture. She can't lead a large army and shift the course of battle, let alone predict the outcome a hundred days or a hundred miles ahead."
"It could be said that the young lady Iris sitting there could make a better marshal. Or that young man Platanus could become an even better marshal. However, I believed that Cattleya was the only one suited to be marshal."
"...I think so too."
"Hmm. Why did you scheme to make Cattleya marshal? Observing you, it seems you're aware of the capabilities of others wielding sacred swords. Among them, why choose Cattleya?"
"...The soldiers of this country are mostly Cattleya's students. They all admire her. That's true for Iris and me as well."
As I said this, Instructor Cattleya, sitting at the round table, blushed and looked down.
"Iris could execute solid commands. Platanus could develop groundbreaking military strategies. But such talents should be utilized under Instructor Cattleya's leadership. The esteem in which she is held by her students is, in my opinion, the most critical attribute for a supreme commander."
"Hmm..."
Marshal Crocus seemed somewhat dissatisfied with my statement.
"There's no such thing as a perfect person in this world."
"Hmm?"
"That's why I think, in truth, no one is qualified to be a marshal, responsible for the lives of many people. Even if they are a genius and highly capable."
"Then, shouldn't the person who feels sorrow at the loss of soldiers' lives be at the top? I didn't want someone who thinks, 'How many soldiers need to die for the operation to succeed?' to be marshal."
"Kakakaka!"
At that moment, Marshal Crocus burst into laughter.
"Exactly right. I didn't want someone who only sees soldiers' lives as numbers to become marshal. Cattleya is indeed too soft. That's precisely why she's suitable to be marshal. Cold and practical decishions can be made by others. Fortunately, we have someone capable of making such decishions currently serving as chancellor, and that young lady there is set to become a general."
Suddenly, Marshal Crocus placed his hands on my shoulders.
"But you know, even though I've said as much, no one agreed with me. Cattleya herself was against it. I was thinking I couldn't die in peace if things continued this way."
"Uh, yes."
"However, thanks to you, Cattleya is now willing to become the marshal. There's nothing that could make me happier. Thank you. Truly, thank you."
I realized how utterly disrespectful I had been.
To think that such a person was scheming not to pass on the position of marshal.
It's precisely because he was such a selfless person that he could become an undefeated general.