The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 425 The Cloud of War

The clouds of war hung over Thunder City, yet the morale of the Campbellians was higher than ever before.

A few dark clouds are nothing.

After all, long before it arrived, the black clouds billowing from the chimneys had already filled their sky.

Just as one group of ragged people were putting on neat clothes, shouldering flintlock pistols, and preparing to devote themselves to the cause of justice, another group of ragged people finally saw a glimmer of light in their dim future...

On the muddy road leading to Twilight City, a strange procession was moving slowly forward.

At the head of the procession was Thomas's caravan, with dozens of covered wagons loaded with goods and horse-drawn carriages carrying people moving slowly. Behind the caravan, a group of hundreds, if not thousands, of ragged refugees also moved forward in silence.

They neither approached nor strayed far, but simply followed silently.

Each person maintains an almost obstinate distance, like a silent pilgrimage, steadfastly moving forward on a dusty road.

The atmosphere in the entire group was solemn yet eerie, even bordering on unbelievable.

After all, no caravan laden with goods has ever escaped unscathed from the swarms of refugees that swarm like locusts.

It's unimaginable that they managed to keep to themselves and not fight, at least in the starving province of Twilight.

And no one would have imagined that all of this was because of a "nun" named Karen.

"By Saint Sith... are we a caravan or a pilgrimage?" Looking at the vast procession behind him, the mercenary holding a spear couldn't help but click his tongue.

Just a week ago, the line stretched as far as the eye could see, but now he couldn't even see the tail end of the line.

Standing beside him, a young mercenary named Ben suddenly spoke in an excited voice.

"I have a hunch."

"Oh, what's your premonition?"

Seeing his uninterested companions, Ben said with a mysterious expression.

“Our ‘sister’ is Miss Karen; she might actually be carrying something!”

Bring something with you?

The mercenary paused for a moment, then laughed and said in a mocking tone.

"Stop talking nonsense. She escaped from Eagle Rock Territory. Even if she didn't do anything blasphemous, is there a single good person there?"

He actually had half a sentence left unsaid.

If he were Saint Seis, he would be merciful if he didn't kick this girl into hell to reflect on her actions; how could he possibly entrust her with a sacred cause?

Although there seem to be few priests in the Twilight Province, that's relative to its vast area. Ignoring the farmland and forests, there are still many in the castles and churches.

Even ignoring these realistic factors, she's just a big-breasted, brainless, and even a bit fanatical country girl.

She probably didn't even realize what she was doing.

However, Ben was different; having received help from Karen before, he held this kind-hearted girl in high regard.

"I know all that you're talking about, but didn't we all come from there? Who in this world dares to say they are absolutely clean?"

The mercenary chuckled.

"I don't have time to discuss philosophical questions with you. I'd rather know what's for dinner tonight."

"This is not a philosophical question!"

Ben looked at him with a serious expression and, in an unprecedentedly earnest tone, expressed the excitement in his heart.

"We might be witnessing a new legend! Not in the words of bards, but right before our eyes!"

legend……

Haha.

The mercenary pursed his lips, his smile turning playful.

This word sounds amazing, but unfortunately it can neither be turned into bread nor is it worth a few copper coins.

At the same time, in a carriage traveling in a caravan, the caravan owner, Thomas, was looking back through a crack in the window.

Looking at the ever-growing queue, he felt a headache coming on and finally couldn't help but sigh.

"By Saint Sith..."

What am I doing?
If it weren't for the thick stack of account books in front of him, he would have almost forgotten that he was a businessman.

Thomas's thoughts drifted back to the afternoon a few days earlier.

They passed through a dilapidated village. The empty cowshed contained no cattle, only a few corpses covered with gray cloth.

The breath of death was overwhelming.

Fearing the plague, he was about to lead everyone away when a group of villagers surrounded him.

Just like in the village he had passed through before, the people here asked him if there was a priest in the caravan. If so, they begged the priest to pray for the souls of the dead.

The old man, who appeared to be the village chief, also said that just a few days earlier, several dead villagers had become spirits. The villagers were filled with fear and dread, suspecting they had been abandoned by the gods; everyone was in despair.

Thomas wanted to say, "What's it to me? I'm just a businessman. If I don't want the corpses to become ghosts, I can just burn them."

The suspicious looks in the villagers' eyes made it hard for him not to suspect that finding the pastor was just an excuse, and that they wanted to get their dirty hands into his cargo.

Just as Thomas was about to order the mercenaries to drive the group away, Miss Karen stepped forward and gently told him that she could take care of the trouble.

"...When our feet are firmly planted in hell, we cannot imagine that we alone can receive divine salvation without saving anyone else. Let me pray for them, and also for ourselves."

She seemed to genuinely consider herself a nun, truly believing in the so-called sacred duty.

Thomas couldn't persuade her, and could only watch as she stepped forward to pray for the corpses lying on the ground.

Then--

An incredible scene unfolded: holy light seemed to descend from the sky, soothing the despair on earth.

Thomas could hardly believe his eyes, yet what was happening before his eyes was undeniable.

The corpse, which had already shown signs of becoming undead, actually stopped its transformation and returned to eternal peace.

Everyone wore expressions of disbelief, except for Karen, who stood calmly in front of the corpses.

As if she knew what she had done, she spoke to the villagers in a calm and gentle tone.

"...Please bury them; they will no longer struggle to wake up."

After saying that, she returned to the caravan, leaving the crowd standing there, unable to calm down for a long time.

Later, the villagers buried their compatriots, and the caravan lived peacefully with the villagers for one night.

The next morning, just as the caravan was preparing to leave quietly, the villagers took their only belongings, led their emaciated cattle and sheep, and followed behind the caravan with their families.

Just as Thomas was at a loss, wondering what these guys wanted to do, the village chief who had spoken to him the day before stepped forward and explained the situation to him.

"The lord no longer wants us. The army will be here soon—either the king's or the rebels..."

"Since we're going to die anyway, we'd like to leave with some dignity. Please allow us to follow behind Ms. Karen!"

"We are willing to serve as her protectors. We ask for no reward, only that she not abandon us and that she pray for us when we die!"

Thomas stared at them dumbfounded, as if they were a bunch of madmen talking in their sleep.

Following behind Karen is alright.

This guy has been acting strangely ever since he was rescued; he doesn't even know where he's going!

Just as Thomas was about to refuse, Mr. Colin, who had not appeared at all, surprisingly walked up behind him.

A gentle smile graced his handsome face as he spoke in a voice so soft only he could hear.

"Let them follow."

"But……"

“It’s interesting, isn’t it?”

Mr. Colin’s witty remark silenced all of Thomas’s grievances and complaints.

Since the master had agreed, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

After all, even if this gentleman abandoned them and led the group away on his own, the outcome would be the same.

Ultimately, they weren't in an employer-employee relationship. He didn't pay the man a single penny, so the man naturally didn't need to consider his feelings.

“If you insist on doing this…” Thomas forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and tacitly allowed the villagers to follow the caravan toward Twilight City.

Thomas reassured himself that the villagers would at most follow him that far. After all, they were, strictly speaking, refugees, and no feudal lord would easily let these people go, much less allow them into his territory.

However, things were not as simple as he thought.

Regardless of whether all the nobles, big and small, in this land have fled, even if they were still here, they would be completely unable to handle the current troublesome situation.

On their way to Twilight City, the scene that came into view could only be described as tragic.

If they could still see intact corpses in the villages they passed through earlier, later all that was left on the ground were pale bones.

This time, Thomas felt a pang of conscience. After all, he was a devout believer, or at least he considered himself quite devout.

Faced with those emaciated refugees, he no longer stopped Karen from praying for their families and for the souls of those who refused to rest, and tacitly allowed the refugees to follow the caravan.

Several days passed in this way, and by the time he began to notice, the number of refugees following the caravan had swelled to an unimaginable size, like a snowball rolling down the mountain.

Night falls.

The caravan set up camp as usual, and the refugees following behind followed suit and set up their own camps.

Despite being called a campsite, there wasn't even a decent tent. People slept on the ground, sitting or lying down, and one could faintly hear wolves howling in the distance.

Surprisingly, the starving people did not despair; on the contrary, they remained orderly.

Some people were responsible for gathering firewood, some for starting the fire, some for taking care of the children, and others for cooking porridge and distributing the watery porridge to the long line of believers.

Even though they were starving, they maintained basic order, with no looting or fighting, and no theft.

After all, they didn't even have the energy to argue, and there was nothing here worth stealing.

Of course, the most crucial thing is that they have regained their "faith".

It was precisely because of this belief that they did not become bandits and robbers, nor did they become like the Green Forest Army.

It is worth mentioning, however, that rather than saying they worship Saint Seis, it would be more accurate to say they worship Lady Karen, who provides them with food.

These refugees are very pragmatic; whoever can keep them alive is their god.

As for where Ms. Karen's food came from?
Although no one paid attention to this issue, the grain clearly didn't appear out of thin air...

As soon as Thomas stepped off the carriage, the mercenary leader carrying a flintlock pistol walked towards him.

"Boss, we need to talk."

Having guessed what this guy was going to say, Thomas sighed and said.

"You tell me, I'll listen."

The mercenary leader immediately spoke.

“We are a caravan, not the Salvation Army! What I mean is, I only took money to escort the caravan, I never told my brothers that I was going to protect an army!”

“I know, I don’t want this either, but I have no choice,” Thomas replied with a worried look.

"Think of something quickly!" The mercenary leader glanced outside the camp, his face grave. "With so many people following us, not to mention the consumption of water and food, the main problem is that we're too conspicuous!"

Seeing the caravan owner fall silent, he continued in a serious tone.

"Excuse my bluntness, but we're like torches in the darkness! Whether it's the provincial governor of Twilight City or those bandits outside who call themselves the Green Forest Army, I bet they don't give us a friendly look!"

Thomas swallowed hard.

“We have Mr. Colin. Even if they don’t like us, it won’t be to the point of…”

The mercenary leader said in a low voice.

"Yes, but don't think those people don't have their own unique skills! A bunch of peasants can't possibly defeat a lord's army. When have you ever heard of a group of peasants overthrowing their lord with pitchforks? Putting aside failed uprisings, almost every successful uprising has a devil standing behind it!"

Thomas's face changed instantly, and his voice began to tremble.

"You mean... there are demons from hell standing behind them?!"

The mercenary leader shook his head and said with a wry smile, "The demons of Hell are alright, but I'm afraid of... Chaos. You've probably heard about the Copper Pass incident, right? It seems there was a bit of a mishap recently, even the Great Sage was alerted!"

When the word "chaos" was mentioned, he couldn't help but shudder, as if the word itself possessed an incredible magic.

He forgot which senior had told him that the demons of hell were nothing to be afraid of; those guys were just after faith, and at worst they would just scare people, but they would never do anything that was thankless and difficult.

However, chaos is different. For example, the "Flame of Destruction" attacking Brass Pass has made it clear that it intends to unleash apocalyptic fire upon the world.

They want nothing, they want nothing, all they want is to turn the world west of Brass Pass into something like the Dimensional Desert!
The same applies to "Crown of Pride" and "Mist of Deceit," and his vague intuition tells him that what is ravaging the Twilight Province is probably the most vicious "Claw of Eternal Hunger"!
Hearing what the mercenary leader said, Thomas couldn't help but feel a sense of fear.

"So what do you think... we should do?"

The mercenary leader spoke in a cold, hard voice.

"...If all else fails, parting ways is also an option. The longer we delay, the harder it will be for us to separate from them."

Thomas couldn't help but smile wryly upon hearing this.

“I don’t think this is a good idea. You can see that Mr. Colin seems to support her cause… I mean, he might not choose to come with us. It’s better to have the mage’s protection than nothing. Honestly, if I had known things were this bad here, I should have brought more people.”

This was also his biggest headache; for some reason, the mysterious magician was particularly fond of this "nun" he had picked up along the way.

He initially ignored that woman, but his attitude changed after that funeral.

His appreciation went beyond words; he even began to actively fund Karen's charitable work.

No one knew where her food came from, but Thomas knew very well—

All that grain was bought from Mr. Colin at a price higher than the market price.

Not only that, he also bought the wagons used for transporting grain, and lent one of them to Karen as her mobile prayer room.

Thomas didn't know what had happened between the two, but Karen had been going to the magician's carriage for a long time, and it wasn't something that had just started recently.

He actually understands.

Aside from being a bit rustic, the girl was quite pretty and had a good figure; otherwise, she wouldn't have been chosen by Ms. Lina as a precious "commodity."

Seemingly realizing that he couldn't compare to the allure of a young and beautiful nun, the mercenary leader remained silent for a moment before finally sighing.

"...You're the boss, you decide."

Watching the mercenary leader walk away, Thomas shook his head, sighed, and went to the campfire.

Although he was the owner of the caravan, there were some things that were beyond his control.

The fate of this caravan was long beyond his control...

Just as he crouched by the campfire, a pair of eyes in the darkness were watching his back.

Sarah witnessed the entire conversation between the two humans, and silently concealed herself, disappearing into the darkness.

Meanwhile, in Colin's carriage, Karen was devoutly holding a copy of the Book of the Word, listening attentively as Mr. Colin, sitting opposite her, explained the scriptures in the book, and also learning some of the vocabulary.

Ashamed to say it.

Although she considered herself a devout believer, she didn't even know what Saint Sith was.

There was a priest in her hometown, but it was not easy to meet him. Daily prayers were mainly conducted by the deacon leading the villagers.

A country girl like her had no chance to come into contact with the true doctrines and had never read the original text of the Book of the Word.

Therefore, she was completely unaware that the Book of the Word she was holding was not the real Book of the Word, but a "new version" of the Old Testament, modified by a demon king from hell.

"Unbelievable... The Demon God and Saint Sith aren't enemies." After listening to Mr. Colin's sermon, Karen sighed softly, her face showing a hint of lingering satisfaction.

If anyone else had said those words to her, she would probably have thought that person was crazy.

However, this gentleman was different.

The sound clearly drifted into her ears, yet it seemed to penetrate her skin and seep into her heart.

Luo Yan smiled slightly and spoke in a gentle tone.

“A thousand years ago they were certainly enemies, but now a thousand years have passed, and the demons in hell have changed three times. They no longer hate each other.”

Karen blinked, puzzled.

"But if that's the case, why does the Empire still have to fight against Hell?"

"That's because they all need an enemy."

Seeing that Karen was still confused, Luo Yan continued in a patient voice.

"Farmers' desire for land is endless, just as merchants' desire for money and herdsmen's desire for pasture... But the nobles who truly hold power are different; they have neither land nor money, nor cattle and sheep."

Karen asked, puzzled.

"What do they need?"

"Domination, or power. But they already have it; rather than needing it, they don't want to lose it."

Luo Yan paused for a moment before continuing.

"As for land, money, honor, even supernatural power, and even faith itself... they are merely tools to achieve the goal, not the goal itself."

Even the gods are included.

Looking into the clear yet naive eyes of the village girl in front of him, Luo Yan smiled slightly and ended the conversation.

"Have we gone off-topic?"

Karen gently shook her head, a faint trace of worship appearing on her devout face.

Or rather, aspirations.

“No, Mr. Colin… I enjoy listening to you talk about these things. It’s just that every time I hear your teachings, I’m puzzled. If things are really as you say, doesn’t that mean that the Book of the Word in my hands isn’t so… radiant?”

“There are many things that shine brightly: the sun in the sky, the moon in the water, the lamp in the carriage, the campfire outside the window, and the hope in people’s eyes…”

Luo Yan turned his gaze to the window, watching the fireflies flickering among the grass, and said in a very soft voice.

"The same is true of the Book of the Holy Word in your hands. It is undoubtedly radiant, but human desires are endless. That is why priests choose to shine in the castle, while the people of Saint Sith struggle on the ground."

Karen lowered her head, seemingly having gained some insight, just like a true saint who yearns for the light.

After a moment of silence, she spoke softly.

“I want to save those poor people, but I don’t know how… I beg you to show me the way.”

Luo Yan smiled slightly and offered a word of encouragement.

"You're doing a great job right now."

Karen looked up, bewildered.

"Now? But... they're following me, and I don't even know where I'm going."

“That’s not something you should worry about. You just need to walk your own path, like this lamp in the carriage… It only needs to emit its own light and doesn’t have to walk the rest of the way for the traveler.”

Looking into those eyes shrouded in mist, Luo Yan soothed her confusion with a gentle voice.

"Since you've decided to become a nun, then just do what a nun is supposed to do. Shining souls will eventually find their way; you just need to light up those who are in despair."

In an instant, those eyes, shrouded in mist, were like torches rekindled, dispelling all the confusion.

"I see……"

Karen murmured softly, and a smile gradually bloomed on her simple face, a smile that seemed to glow.

She bowed deeply, then scratched her cheek shyly and said apologetically.

"Thank you... Although I still have many questions, I feel much better after talking with you."

"You're welcome," Luo Yan smiled and nodded at the simple girl who blushed easily, then closed the "Book of Sacred Words" in his hand and said, "It's getting late, go back to sleep."

"Ah."

The nun nodded, her cheeks flushed like lanterns, and hugged the book Mr. Colin had given her tightly in her arms before jumping off the carriage and hurrying away.

At the same moment Karen left, Sarah's figure quietly appeared in the carriage.

Since the carriage wasn't very spacious, and she was worried about affecting the Demon Lord's unfathomable plans, she had quietly left when Karen came over earlier.

Of course, she didn't spend all her time passing the time while she wasn't by the Demon King's side.

In addition to keeping watch and preventing unauthorized personnel from approaching, she also moved around the camp to gather intelligence.

"grown ups."

Luo Yan smiled gently.

"No need to be polite, just sit down."

"Yes."

Sarah obediently sat down opposite him, then coughed lightly and recounted her earlier discovery.

"The people in the caravan seemed dissatisfied with the ever-growing number of migrants, fearing it would attract the attention of the local lords or rebels. In addition, the mercenary leader escorting the caravan mentioned something..."

She hesitated for a moment before telling the truth.

He suspected that the rebels roaming the Twilight Province were being supported by Chaos forces.

"Chaos?! Where?!" Taf, who was dozing off, suddenly jolted awake, her entire dragon spine stiffening in fright.

Of course, this little pig, who could eat and sleep a lot, didn't actually wake up. After mumbling a few words in its sleep, it fell asleep again.

It's clear that she was truly traumatized by the Outer Gods in the void; the fear is etched deep into her soul and has not faded even to this day...

Luo Yan, however, showed no panic. Having already studied the Void Realm in depth, he simply asked a question calmly.

Does he have any evidence?

Sarah shook her head.

"No... but famine does easily evoke images of the Claws of Eternal Famine, and some people have already made that connection. I'm worried..."

“The more people fear something, the more they can’t escape it,” Luo Yan said in a low voice after a moment of silence. “Regardless of whether it’s Chaos or not, we have to be careful about the situation here. If there’s a problem with Brass Pass, it will be difficult for us to remain unscathed in the Duchy of Campbell.”

"What do you need me to do?"

Seeing the cat so eager to offer its loyalty, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile and reached out to rub its fluffy head.

Clearly not expecting the Demon Lord to make such a sudden move, Sarah, caught off guard by the touch on her ear, let out a short "Meow?!"

Her snow-white face instantly turned a deep crimson, as if it were about to bleed.

She subconsciously glanced at the sleeping Tauf, confirming that he was indeed asleep, before suppressing her murderous intent. She left Tauf, who had inexplicably shivered, and looked at the Demon King with confusion and trepidation, waiting for him to continue his next move.

However, nothing happened next.

Luo Yan simply smiled and said.

"Don't keep thinking about what to do. When I don't tell you what to do, just stay by my side and be obedient. I will naturally give you instructions when I need them."

“Yes…” Sarah replied, bowing her head.

The voice was unusually gloomy, as if the speaker was still bothered by the embarrassing sound he had made unintentionally earlier.

Just as Luo Yan was pondering how to comfort his cat, his dog suddenly jumped out.

Youyou: "My Lord Demon King! Something terrible has happened! The Duchy of Campbell has decided to send reinforcements to Twilight Province! Your players have also signed up, and judging from their discussions on the official website, it seems like they have a battalion of troops!"

Luo Yan thought it was going to say something important, but in the end, it couldn't say anything substantial. It just muttered about such a trivial matter for a long time.

So what if I went to join the army?

Some clever little players have even gone to Thunder City and become capitalists! Is this even a big deal?
"This is no big deal... Let them make a fuss if they want to."

Come find me when they become dukes!

Luo Yan had just thought this when Youyou's next sentence stunned him.

"But, but! The leader is Eileen Campbell! Is this...is this really okay? You remember you said goodbye at the port!"

"...?"

Damn it! ?
　I recommend a young author; those who enjoy fantasy novels might want to add it to their collection!
　　

(End of this chapter)