Strongest Mage with the Lust system

Chapter 709  Ashrothʼs Suspicions [Bonus]

Ashroth nodded at Vigil as he continued, ”At first I was just angry at everything and everyone, but then slowly my thought process changed and I started thinking why. Everything that had happened to me or around me, why did it happen?”

”And this changed my perspective. I was no longer as angry at everyone. Then, I was released, and from that day, I have been hearing about the war our demon race was going to wage on the human continent and reclaim our land.”

”I might have been overthinking things, but I started questioning everything. I got some answers, but most of my questions remained unanswered.”

”Then I joined the army and came here to the human continent, and I watched how everything progressed; I found it all… strange.” Saying this, he paused for a moment before continuing, ”While we all, the lower-ranking tribes, want nothing but to conquer the territory and win the war, those above us donʼt seem to share the same thought; otherwise, we wouldʼve captured all the kingdoms, including Green Leaf, several days ago.”

While Yshoy and others frowned, Vigilʼs eyes flickered, and he asked, ”What makes you think that?” ”First, we attacked several months before the humans expected us to, saying we wanted to catch them off guard and not let them set up the war temple and make other preparations, but instead of focusing on rapidly conquering the kingdoms, what we did was we started massacring the people, be they ordinary people or mages, and destroying the cities.”

”Of course, some might think it was all part of the process, but I disagree. If we really wanted to conquer the kingdoms, we wouldʼve attacked their most powerful cities, their capitals, first, which we did not.”

”Second, the war rules. I find them very odd. They seemed to be created in a way that makes sure the war extends as much as possible.”

”Third, your decisions. I understand you failed to stop the human emperors from establishing the war temple, but there was no need to order a retreat. Our side was way more powerful than the humansʼ side. If you hadnʼt ordered retreat, all human mages wouldʼve been killed.”

As he listed out the reasons, Yshoyʼs and othersʼ expressions started shifting. If he had found these things odd, they also had, but never paid them much heed because… they were doing everything according to their orders. If they hadnʼt, it was true they wouldʼve been successful on several fronts, but they would have disobeyed their superiors.

Ashroth wasnʼt done yet.

Taking a small pause, he said, ”The fourth and most strange thing that made me come to you is the fact that the human alliance hadnʼt set up war temples in the kingdoms that fell.”

Seeing the emperors didnʼt react much, he changed his words, ”Let me rephrase that. The human alliance didnʼt even try to set up the war temples in those kingdoms.”

Boom!

Suddenly, it was as if he was hit by something and staggered back.

”How do you know this?” Vigil asked, his tone harsh, harsher than Yshoyʼs usual tone. Yshoy and other emperors also stared at him.

They hadnʼt gotten any news about exactly what transpired in those kingdoms. They were only told that because most of the stronger human mages left for the Green Leaf and the empires, the human side became weak, which was the cause of their downfall.

Ashroth hesitated for a moment before saying, ”Itʼs my aunt. She has her people spread around and is keeping tabs on everything. She told me this. Even though the human alliance had sent their emperors there too, they didnʼt try to set up the war temples.”

The hall was silent for several seconds that followed his words before Vigil said, ”You can leave now.”

”But my lord, Iʼm not fini—” Ashroth began to say, but Vigil had already retracted his aura sphere. So, he just bowed toward everyone and walked out, his expression gradually turning solemn.

The reason he told them all this wasnʼt because he wanted to help them or anything but because he wanted to confirm his guesses, and seeing their reactions to his words, he knew he might not be right about everything, but one thing he became certain of… This time war wasnʼt going to be the same as the previous time, just as people were saying from the beginning.

ʼHow troublesome!ʼ He thought. ʼIt seems I need to ask Aunt Beille to find some way to inform my father to be careful.ʼ

Inside the main hall, Yshoy glanced at Vigil, who seemed to be in deep thought, and asked, ”What are you thinking?”

Vigil didnʼt respond for a while. When he did, he didnʼt answer his question and instead said, ”Letʼs do what you were saying. Tell your people not to self-detonate. Also, tell them when they attack the human armies, do it in large numbers and make sure not to get surrounded. Flee if need be.”

Yshoyʼs and everyone elseʼs expressions changed at his words.

”What the fuck are you saying, Vigil? Flee?! You are telling them to flee like cowards?!” Yshoy shouted. ”We are the proud demons, not those pitiful beings that need to resort to such tactics just to survive.”

Vigil looked at him and then at other emperors, including the ones from his tribe; and saw that all wore the same expressions as Yshoy.

Seeing this, he could only sigh helplessly, ʼHow amazing! They knew even if someone found everything suspicious, it wouldnʼt change much because of our stupid pride and impulsive behaviors.ʼ

Coughing lightly, he said, ”I meant to say retreat, not flee. Retreat if need be.”

…

In the war temple, Wyomin was standing in front of Verana, a stern expression on her face. ”Lady Verana, did you know this was going to happen?”

Verana sighed and nodded.

”And you allowed it?” Wyomin questioned, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment.

”What could I have done? Although I hold a slightly elevated status in the alliance than you all, I am not the one who makes decisions.” Verana said before adding,

”Moreover, no matter how cruel it seems, I believe it was a necessary sacrifice. After all, just to save a few small kingdoms, we canʼt risk losing the entire continent.”

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{Castle Bonus---> (1/3) Thank you Fluffy231 for the gift!}