According to the information he had heard from the spirits of the generals that he had defeated so far, it was highly likely that Bugitas possessed a Guidance Skill or something similar to one, as well as the divine protection of Ravovifard, the evil god of release.
As Vandalieu was aware, the Guidance Skill provided more blessings to those around the Skill owner than just simple increases to Attribute Values. And for those being guided, the Guidance Skill's owner became a mental support to them.
Thus, if they lost Bugitas, who was thought to possess a Guidance-type Skill, wouldn't Bugitas's subordinates become weaker, experience a large drop in morale, and stop functioning as an army?
That was what Vandalieu had concluded.
Also, Bugitas, who possessed Ravovifard's divine protection, was apparently an important figure to Ravovifard.
According to Zozogante, the evil god of the dark forest, those who possessed a god's divine protection were like living billboards to spread fear and belief for that god, acting on the world's surface in the god's place. Thus, if the ones who possessed Ravovifard's divine protection were to be eliminated, it was possible that he would be left with no way to intervene with events in the world other than spending a great amount of his power to descend upon the world himself.
And divine protections were not things that could be given to anyone so easily.
One needed a certain mental connection to the god or be of a race that was close to the god to receive their divine protection.
Ghouls or plant-type monsters with Zozogante, Scylla with Merrebeveil and Lizardmen with Fidirg – these were races that were 'close' to their gods.
"But there aren't any races that are 'close' to Ravovifard, who only invaded the southern region of the continent recently. So, it's impossible to gain his divine protection without taking the time to form a mental connection with him. But this 'evil god of release,' I wonder what he is supposed to release you from. Considering what he's been doing, wouldn't 'evil god of usurpation' or 'the evil god of tyranny' be more fitting?" Vandalieu wondered.
"Danna, are you talking to yourself a lot because you're nervous?" whispered Kimberley, who was remaining invisible.
"Yes. I am in enemy territory, after all," Vandalieu replied in a small voice as he pressed on.
Along the way, he had passed by a unit of soldiers led by a clearly powerful Noble Orc wearing an impressive suit of armor, and a young man who seemed to be a Majin, leading several Lesser Demons.
That was probably Chief General Buzazeos and Gargya's Majin counterpart, Gerazorg.
They were quite slow, but it seemed that the attention of Bugitas's forces was solidly concentrated outside the city's gate.
"... They're taking too long to mobilize their forces. Aren't this Bugitas fellow and his subordinates too carefree?" said Kimberley, who had been a member of the Amid Empire's army himself while he was alive.
"Not that we'll take advantage of it," Vandalieu whispered back. "Maybe they're not under the assumption that there would be traitors if an enemy army closes in on the empire? And the people under Bugitas's influence generally have a tendency to become simple-minded, so I'm sure Bugitas himself will also..."
"You feel like you know his limits?" asked Orbia.
"By the way, Your Majesty, perhaps this conversation should not be heard by the prince...?" said Princess Levia.
"It's fine. He can't hear it unless I intend to let him hear it," said Vandalieu.
"Then it is all right."
As he conversed with the invisible Ghosts, Vandalieu finally arrived at the plaza facing the castle. Now that he had come this far, there were almost no people going back and forth, since the soldiers had headed to the gate.
"BUHAHAHAHA! BUKIBUKYUKYUH!"
"UWAAAAH! Help meeee!"
"Please forgive us! Please forgive us!"
There was a commotion coming from several Noble Orcs, a girl about five years old who had been grasped and was being lifted up by one of them, and a woman clinging to her who appeared to be her mother.
"I see some Noble Orcs who can't fight on an empty stomach and spotted a mother and her daughter who were late in evacuating for some reason, and now they are trying to eat the girl as a snack," said Vandalieu.
"You can understand the Orc language, Your Majesty?!"
"No, that's just my intuition."
But it seemed that Vandalieu was right in guessing that they were intending to use the girl as food. The Noble Orc holding her opened his mouth wide, exposing his fangs, to bite into the girl's head.
"MOMMYYYY! I'M SCAAARED!"
"Bone Flame."
"NOOOOO... oh?"
Vandalieu's Dead Spirit Magic spell turned Princess Levia into a skeleton made of black flames, and her jaws tore the Noble Orc's head to pieces.
"Get up. Give that child back," Vandalieu ordered.
Right before the petrified mother's eyes, the headless Noble Orc Zombie bent down onto his knees and politely returned the girl back to her.
The other Noble Orcs and the other people in the plaza froze in astonishment. The mother and daughter were no exceptions, but the mother was the first to recover her senses; she took her daughter and ran off.
Vandalieu glanced at her for only a moment before looking forward again.
"... Danna, I don't have any complaints, but isn't that a situation where you would normally harden your heart for the sake of your plan?" said Kimberley.
"Kimberley, I'm a half-Vampire, so I'm already a demon without trying," said Vandalieu.
TLN: The Japanese phrase for "harden one's heart" is 心を鬼にする which roughly translates to "turn one's heart into a demon." 鬼/oni, the kanji for demon, is a part of the word for Vampire, 吸血鬼/kyuuketsuki, which means "blood-sucking demon" if translated literally.
"That's not what I mean, but... Well, we've made it in front of the castle, so I suppose it's fine," said Kimberley.
"And we've already been seen," said Orbia.
"B-BUGAAH!"
"BUGIIIH!"
The Noble Orcs, who had been petrified with shock at their comrade suddenly being decapitated and continuing to move while headless, returned to their senses and finally noticed that there was a strange child nearby.
They didn't understand the exact reasons, but they were certain that Vandalieu was the cause of everything and tried to attack him.
"BOOOOOH!" a voice roared.
A slashing attack was released from behind them, slicing them in two and continuing forward, closing in on Vandalieu like a whirlwind. The headless Noble Orc Zombie jumped in front of it, trying to block it... but he was cut apart easily as well, being of no use.
"Demon King's carapace, activate, Stone Wall."
The Demon King's carapace appeared over Vandalieu's arm, and he used it as a shield to block the attack.
The citizens remaining in the plaza screamed and fled, and the Noble Orcs nearby hastily fell back.
"I'll accept your loyalty for now," Vandalieu said to the Noble Orc Zombie's spirit as he looked at his enemy... the scythe-wielding Bugitas, who had attacked through his own subordinates.
"Bukukuh, you were mentioned in Ravovifard's Divine Message, after all. You monster, who holds multiple fragments of the Demon King," Bugitas said, giving a bold laugh as he acknowledged the defensive strength of the Demon King's carapace that didn't have a single scratch on it despite being struck by a martial skill from his enormous scythe. "To think that you would appear before me alone... No, with the monsters that are your subordinates, which means that the army outside is a decoy. A clever scheme like this could not have even been thought of by any of the wise men who have left their names in history. I suppose that is to be expected of a monster who possesses the Demon King's fragments and is capable of even destroying a god's familiar spirit."
Despite his words, Bugitas was behaving in a leisurely manner. His voice was deep and yet unpleasantly sticky, as if gooey strings were attached to it.
"I haven't been talked to with such clear sarcasm since my aunt's lectures on Earth..." Vandalieu muttered.
"Van-kun, I don't think it's sarcasm; he's being serious," said Orbia.
"That's right, Your Majesty. You said it yourself, didn't you? Bugitas has no knowledge when it comes to military strategy," said Princess Levia.
Vandalieu had thought that Bugitas was being sarcastic regarding the ancient tactic that he had used, but his mood improved upon hearing Orbia and Princess Levia's words.
Incidentally, Orbia and the other Ghosts had already revealed themselves, but Bugitas couldn't hear Vandalieu's whispered conversations with them.
"What is that look in your eyes? Don't tell me you're going to say that you're displeased with the way I cut through those useless fools as I attacked you," Bugitas sneered.
"I am displeased," said Vandalieu. "If you cut their bodies in half and let their contents spill onto the floor, the organs will be spoiled, won't they? Did nobody teach you to treat food with care?"
"... Are you a demon?"
Vandalieu was completely serious, but he was being called a demon for it. Wasn't that too much? And he was a half-Vampire, so he was a demon even if nobody called him one.
"Buguuh! On top of being strange, you're messed-up! Fine, I'll dispose of you before my loser of an aniki!" Bugitas recovered from his surprise and raised his giant scythe once more, filled with bloodthirst.
"... No, your opponent shall be me."
Golden hair and an enormous body emerged from within the unmoving Vandalieu.
Prince Budarion's arm and eye were stained black, and there was a black magic sword in his hands.
"... Hoh, you seem to have regained the arm and eye that I took from you, but you have stooped low enough to become a monster's underling, Ani-ue?" Bugitas said with a cruel smile as he looked at his brother.
Name: Bugitas
Title:【Usurper】
Rank: 11
Race: Noble Orc Plunder King
Level: 95
Passive skills:
Dark Vision
Superhuman Strength: Level 10
Strengthened Attribute Values when equipped with a Scythe (Medium)
Enhanced Vigor: Level 3
Status Effect Resistance: Level 5
Inferior Race Domination: Level 7
Mental Corruption: Level 4
False Guidance: Beast Path: Level 3
Intuition: Level 8
Demon King Encroachment Degree: Level 1
Active skills:
War-boar Scythe Technique: Level 3
Armor Technique: Level 3
No-Attribute Magic: Level 1
Mana Control: Level 1
Earth-Attribute Magic: Level 4
Life-Attribute Magic: Level 8
Transcend Limits: Level 5
Surpass Limits: Magic Scythe: Level 10
Coordination: Level 1
Commanding: Level 6
Familiar Spirit Descent: Level 10
Unique skills:
Ravovifard's Divine Protection
Demon King fragments:
XX
YY
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