“Seems like it’s about time.”
“Is that why you took those measures?”
“I guess so.”
It took five days for the hastily built fort to come together. Werner’s team had bought all they needed from the surrounding villages and turned it into their base of operations. On an afternoon half a month later, while a turncoat met with the Demon Commander, Werner sat nonchalantly in one of the rooms.
Werner gave his predictions for what would come next, all the while thinking that his enemies had been later to respond than he had been expecting. Neurath and Schünzel traded looks, and Holzdeppe opened his mouth, an exasperated expression on his face. “When exactly did you realize this?”
“Ever since Sir Pückler’s body was found,” Werner said, though that wasn’t the truth. His doubts began during a discussion with the crown prince, when he first surmised the game’s Demon Commander had returned in the guise of the Hubertus’s knight captain.
If the chosen corporeal form influenced the power of the Demon Commander, Werner didn’t think that that he would accept staying in the body of the impoverished townsperson he had used to escape. Once he figured out that, Werner began to wonder if the missing body of Mangold was being kept as a vessel for the Demon Commander.
Currently, Werner had also delivered two cores thought to be the source of the Demon Commanders’ returns to the capital, one from Demon Commander Dreax from Fort Werisa and one from Demon Commander Beliures from Finoy.
Even if his hunch was mistaken, that would be fine. If he was right, an insurrection might break out in Anheim. Knowing that danger, Werner designed his strategy with the assumption that the Demon Commander was using Mangold’s flesh.
When Werner first arrived in Anheim, he had Mangold’s wanted posters spread throughout the town. That was to make sure even the town’s small fry could recognize him. This was also his goal when sending followers of the bad actors in town to Triot.
It was unlikely that a Demon Commander would once again try to sneak a Demon into town. They were certain that they’d be able to win in a head-on battle, and they must have realized that a method for piercing their disguises had been discovered in the capital. It was natural to assume they viewed such a ploy as too risky.
At the same time, Werner couldn’t assume that his enemies were too stupid to make use of new information. If they still remembered what happened to Pückler, they should have a basic understanding about how powerful intel could be.
This was why Werner had simply pardoned the councilmen with grievances, instead of letting them off the hook with fines or a simple reprimand. He knew some among them had connections to the malcontents he’d banished.
If one of the exiles ran into “Mangold,” he would try to sneak back into Anheim and exchange this information with one of the malcontents on the inside. Werner concluded that they may also try to sell information to Mangold since he was the firstborn of their previous lord.
In fact, to make sure that his dissidents would leak the information, Werner had purposefully spread the word around Anheim that he’d be in the fortress, even going so far as to reveal its shoddy construction.
Of course, even if all those ploys missed their marks, the whole thing took so little time and effort that it was no skin off their backs. If the Demon Commander was foolish enough to ignore intel, he would probably attack the fortress anyway. If this worked out, it would merely be a bonus in Wener’s favor.
The predictions that Werner shared in that strategy meeting would end up being quite close to the truth, but he had no way of knowing that.
“I wonder which way it’ll go this time,” said Werner as he took out the plan and some dice. He seemed to be awfully amused. Neurath grinned mirthlessly as he watched.
Eickstedt’s and Werner’s plans each had their own hallmarks, and quite surprisingly, Eickstedt’s proposal was much more aggressive. On the other hand, he had a much better lay of the land and also contingencies for any counterattacks, so Werner eagerly chose to adopt it. But he had quite a unique way of deciding what he would take from each plan.
“Odd, huh? Guess it’s mine then.”
“There is no need to use dice to decide our strategies.”
“I don’t want them to see through my methods.”
That comment garnered some stares that implied, “You just wanted to roll dice, didn’t you?” but Werner feigned ignorance. He was currently deciding whether they would invade the lands listed in his plan, or those listed in Eickstedt’s, so the questioning stares were only natural.
While their plans of attack were quite different, they were both well thought out. Using dice to decide which one would be deployed would prevent the Demon Army from predicting their moves. Back in Triot, Gezarius would be a puppet dancing on the palms of their hands.
“The mercenary squad currently in Triot should be back today. Once Sir Goecke returns, send word to Sir Holzdeppe to—”
“My apologies, Lord Werner.” Eickstedt, who was currently treated as their guest, entered the room. He had a stern expression on his face. It was clear that something had taken place.
“What is it?”
“A messenger has arrived from Sir Kesten in Anheim. Exiles returning from Triot have hidden themselves in the town. They appear to be unarmed.”
“Oho.” That was Werner’s only reaction. Neurath and the others exchanged glances and asked for clarification.
“Is it the Demon Commander’s doing?”
“Probably. It’s fishy enough that they weren’t attacked by monsters after being banished to Triot.” The others nodded. “We’ll need to make preparations once Sir Goecke returns from Triot. Lord Eickstedt, head for the second fortress and meet with the troops on standby there. Make sure they are well stocked.”
“Understood.”
“Sir Holzdeppe, check the panels. Schünzel and Neurath, continue with your preparations as well. The battle’s about to begin.”
“Yessir.”
“As you say.”
Given how little their enemies thought of humans, they shouldn’t mind them concentrating their forces. Werner ordered defenses on the fort to be reinforced and sent a messenger to Anheim.
The first skirmish of the battle to defend Anheim would take place two days later at the second fortress.