Fragment 2: Felip
—To make Carlos-sama the Hero—
I know. I know it’s our own obsession.
But back then, the knights who saved my life died believing that Carlos-sama was the Hero—the one who would save the world. There’s no turning back now.
Even before we took to the battlefield, the true enemy of the Ludonian army was not the Demon King’s forces—it was our own allies behind us.
“Never pursue too deeply.”
“Focus solely on defense.”
“Do not take the initiative to attack.”
These were the kinds of orders issued in the king’s name.
Against human opponents, such tactics might not have been wrong.
But the Demon King’s army was not human. No matter how badly they were defeated, they could quickly replenish their ranks by gathering stray monsters. Even if the Ludonian army won a battle, given enough time, the Demon King’s forces would return, launching the same attacks all over again.
Thus, to achieve true victory, we had to kill the demon commanders leading the army. As long as they lived, the Demon King’s forces would keep coming back.
Naturally, mere defense was futile. So the military repeatedly requested permission from the royal capital to launch an offensive. And every single time, they were denied.
“An offensive is too dangerous.”
Thus, the knights and soldiers guarding the border were worn down.
Amid this, Crown Prince Carlos was appointed as field commander and dispatched to the border fortress. Elliot and I accompanied him.
—The Hero of Ludonia, peerless with both sword and magic—
Even before arriving at the frontlines, Prince Carlos had been extravagantly proclaimed as such.
This was meant to stabilize public sentiment by rallying support for the prince, while also diverting the military’s discontent by sending a member of the royal family to the front.
At first, it worked.
The prince lived up to expectations, taking the lead on the battlefield, swinging his sword to inspire his allies, and using powerful magic to repel the monsters. With countless feats of war, he proved that his title was no lie.
Even the knights and soldiers who had initially doubted him gradually came to admire him after witnessing his prowess in battle. The Radiant Hero of Ludonia. He slew many demons on the battlefield, displaying the potential to make even the Demon King seem within reach of defeat.
His brilliance was enough to make one believe nothing was beyond him.
But eventually, even the prince himself grew exhausted.
No matter how many monsters we killed, they would replenish their numbers as easily as harvesting potatoes from a field, only to attack again and again. Our hard-won victories meant nothing.
In the end, even we, dispatched under the king’s orders, were forced to realize the truth—mere defense would never bring an end to this war. Unless we killed the demon commanders, true victory was impossible.
The enemy knew this too. That’s why they only sent lesser demons to the frontlines.
The high-ranking demons, the true commanders, remained in the rear, directing the battle without ever revealing themselves.
And so, they stubbornly repeated the same attacks, whittling away at Ludonia’s forces. The demons were not fools. They understood our circumstances and employed the most effective tactics.
“Unless we slay the enemy’s demon commander, this war may prove difficult.”
Even the prince began voicing such thoughts, and soon, many officers agreed. Of course they did—it had been their argument from the start.
Yet, no matter how the prince reported it, the king and his ministers, holed up in the capital, strictly forbade any offensive. By conventional wisdom, defense was safer, while attack carried risks—and they refused to take those risks.
The war dragged on endlessly. Our forces were the only ones being drained.
Worried by this, the prince finally made his decision.
“We will slay the demon commander leading the Demon King’s army. If a true Hero can defeat the Demon King, then surely I, too, can slay a mere demon.”
None of those who fought alongside him raised any objection.
If it was the will of Crown Prince Carlos, the royal capital would not harshly condemn it. In fact, everyone supported it.
The plan devised by the prince and his strategists was simple.
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First, repel the Demon King’s forces as usual. Then, once they retreated, the entire army would give chase. Since we had never pursued them before, this alone would serve as an effective surprise attack.
Of course, the true target was the enemy commander. If we could kill the demon in this counterattack, all the better. But realistically, we expected the demon to flee the battlefield immediately.
Thus, the final objective was to have Prince Carlos lead an elite unit to circle around and ambush the retreating demon.
A straightforward plan—easy to understand, with a high chance of success.
The Demon King’s army had always repeated the same actions. They wouldn’t anticipate a pursuit. At least, not this first time.
And so, the operation was carried out without seeking permission from the capital.
The Demon King’s forces attacked, same as always.
The Ludonian army defended, same as always—careful not to arouse suspicion, not raising their spirits any more than necessary.
Meanwhile, Prince Carlos, along with me, Elliot, and a select group of knights, rode on horseback in a wide arc, successfully positioning ourselves behind the enemy.
All that remained was to wait for their retreat.
True to form, the fortress held, and the Demon King’s forces began withdrawing.
At that moment, Ludonia’s army launched a full-scale pursuit, crushing the enemy as they advanced toward the main camp. The high-ranking demon commander, as expected, did not fight recklessly and instead retreated to the rear.
Everything was going according to plan—until the fleeing demon appeared before our ambush. Yes… their plan.
The demon had foreseen this. They had hidden troops far in the rear.
We were caught in a pincer—retreating forces in front, ambushers behind.
The battle turned chaotic in an instant. We were swallowed by the Demon King’s army. It was hell.
The knights we had brought died one after another, shielding Carlos-sama.
“Make Prince Carlos the Hero…”
Without exception, those were their last words. They died believing the prince was the only one who could slay the demons—and even the Demon King himself.
Thanks to their sacrifice, the pursuing Ludonian forces arrived just in time, and somehow, we managed to escape.
The responsibility for disobeying orders and the failed operation fell entirely on the general who had served as Carlos-sama’s advisor. He was dismissed.
A new general was dispatched from the capital, and strict adherence to orders was demanded once more.
And so, the same cycle repeated.
No—not the same. That failure cost us many skilled knights. The situation worsened.
Though Carlos-sama himself was spared direct blame, his standing deteriorated sharply.
At one point, he was recalled to the capital and reportedly subjected to severe reprimands.
True, the crushing defeat may have been his responsibility.
But either way, without action, our future defeat was inevitable.
If we faltered after a single failure, what was the point of all those knights dying? If given another chance, we were sure we could succeed.
But the people in the capital stood in our way.
Those conservative old men who refused to understand war yet never hesitated to give orders.
“We cannot go on like this.”
Driven by that sense of crisis, we gathered allies to place Carlos-sama on the throne—prepared to fight if necessary.
And then, just as we were about to act… Carlos-sama fell ill.
But I have not given up.
“Make Carlos-sama the Hero.”
Those words remain deeply carved into my heart.
TLNOTE:
Because of that volume 1 and 2 fan translation in this site will be removed in the near future
otherwise check the internet archive
As usual, please consider reading other novels written by Daken sensei listed below :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- The Castle of Canaan ~ The Lost Kingdom’s Princess, the World’s Hidden Treasure, and the Grand Adventure of the Mightiest Band of Thieves Versus an Empire ~
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
- The Last Magic (translated by my friend narwhal)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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