Unfortunately, I’m Not A Hero: 128

Unfortunately, I’m Not A Hero: 128

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Commissioned by Shaderic

Wordcount: 2500

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“How is the situation looking?”

“Poor.”

Henri reported to me through a magical mirror sent over to Ylstu by Roseanne after I badgered her enough. The magical artifact new, highly experimental, and so there were only a few of them to go around. Roseanne developed them and planned on using them to a coordinate massive campaign that stretched over the entire continent, with generals leading whole divisions getting them. Roseanne had wanted to keep them for the counterattack, but I had them sent ahead to my land and my neighbors to coordinate the defense.

If any of the three territories were lost, the mirrors sent were going to be lost, and that would be a boon for the Empire and a loss for us. They’ll get access to the new magic and the artifact, while we lost a crucial edge.

But only if the territories were lost.

“I need more than that, Henri.”

“I am reading through the reports and summarizing them in my head, my Lord. It takes time.” Henri was ready for battle, just like the rest of Ylstu. The civilians were moved out or sheltered in the designated areas, while rationing was set to make sure the populace didn’t lose their wits and become caged monsters. If my people got hungry, I had no illusions that they’d take their chances with the army full of men attacking them. Anyway, the fortifications were set, the magical defenses active, and the traps laid. The only problem was that the Empire’s army at our doorstep wasn’t moving until they took over our flanks. “Our neighbors, as you predicted, are being overwhelmed to create a buffer can be placed between us and reinforcements in the future. The armies the Empire sent are bleeding troops, but they are not stopping in their advance towards the passage leading into Ylstu from the Kindred-side.”

“How are they doing without aerial support? Are they attacking the supply lines like we told them to?”

“Our neighbors are winning battles, but they are being held back. The Empire is erecting fortifications with magic and threatening key roads with their fortresses and arcane ballistae. Their trade lines are problematic as well, as they are primarily foraging… and our neighbors refuse to burn their fields, groves, and towns.” Of course, they wouldn’t. This wasn’t an existential threat to them. They were winning looting fortresses that they break, and having the time of their lives with the men they capture. Things weren’t deadly enough for them to implement scorched earth strategies. “At this rate, we will be encircled, fortifications will be set all around Ylstu, and even aerial reinforcements will be impossible to attain. We will be put to siege.”

“Then, they need the help even though they’re not asking for it… and they’re going to be pissed the drip feed of humans they’re getting is going to get cut off.” I grunted and considered the worth of a human male to the average Kindred. As terrible the notion was, I had to do it because it was how my northern and southern neighbor saw things. Even though they were losing soldiers, they saw this as a migration of very dangerous, but very valuable predators that they could make use of to satiate their populace and fill their coffers with sales. Since they weren’t fighting that hard to break the drip-feed, it was possible that they did the numbers and found that this was worth more than the debt I owed them… and that's not helping me would make me less of a threat to them in the future. “Well, if that’s the game they want to play, I don’t see why not. If they want to play geopolitics and try to have us wither on the vine, then we have nothing to lose. Go ahead and start hitting those fortresses with the missiles and explosive transports.”

“As you wish, my lord. It will be done.” Henri dipped her head in assent. The large witch hat she wore covered her features, but there was something about her that told me to pay attention. A little trembling to her shoulders that made me pause and reevaluate the situation. I stayed quiet, since I didn’t know what to say, and she took that as an opportunity to speak. “My lord… how could you be so calm when you are being betrayed by your neighbors? When they should be fighting to cut the Empire off and stop them from massing at our rear, they are creating an artery to feed upon like parasites instead of fighting for us.”

Oh, right.

Henri and her people died because they were abandoned and left to rot.

That would be a big issue here, so I took great care to address the situation carefully.

“They were never allies. I owed them a debt, so I expected to come to my aid to make sure they were repaid. There was never a formal alliance between us… only decent neutrality at best.” Kurama was in charge of foreign relations, but I set the rules and goals of her department. We traded with our neighbors and had good relations with them, but it was obvious that we wouldn’t be allies from the start. Ylstu was a rising star, the start of a regional power that couldn’t be handled by any one other territory after I married Kurama, and that was before the real industrialization came into play. My neighbors were rivals and allies of convenience at best, so I hoped to use their greed against them when the time came… and the Empire decided to just saturate the area with enough bodies that my debt was piddling in comparison. “Blaming them for not helping is stupid. They’re doing their best for themselves, since they don’t have to do otherwise, because I didn’t make them by marrying one of them or taking on any joint projects.”

If we worked together to fortify the border more, if we took up training with one another, and if I took one of my neighbors’ daughters as a mistress or something, we’d be getting help. However, if I did that, I probably wouldn’t have a heavily-reinforced, magical castle atop a cavern perfectly suited for producing Undead citizenry. Hell, I probably wouldn’t have as strong of a fighting force or an industrial sector, because I’d have to spread them around instead.

The only thing that bound my neighbors too me was the profit of the trade that we had with one another and the debt I owed them, which were now being surpassed by the Empire’s throwing of manpower at their objective: me.

So, in my mind, there was no reason to be pissed about my neighbors doing nothing.

Henri, obviously, was at a loss at this reveal and struggled with it.

Having lived with Kindred for long enough, I knew that I had to do something about the situation.

When Kindred are confused about how you’re treating people who they think are being unfair, you explain your future plans regarding those people.

“I’m not going to forget how worthless they are as allies right now, of course. They’re making me waste munitions, money, and putting my people at risk. In the future, I’ll start breaking them down into something more useful.” Sometimes I tried to act like an evil overlord, but this time I was just doing what I needed to, so that I could get the allies I wanted coming to my rescue. A lot of people wanted to see me fall out of favor with Roseanne and lose, so that they could pull themselves up. I couldn’t rely on goodwill anymore, so that left me with less nice methods of manipulating my colleagues to do what I want. “Don’t worry about it, Henri. The people who aren’t coming to help us to do are going to get what they deserve. One way or another.”

Thankfully, Henri was eating properly and knew that the situation was serious, so she didn’t soak her panties at my words. Maybe, it also had something to do with long-withheld trauma about the deaths of her loved ones and people, but I’ve seen Kindred just walk over their dead to get dick when they’re absolutely starved, so I didn’t put any stock in that. Henri was well-fed and knew the seriousness of the situation, so she didn’t act like a wanton slut, and that was that.

“I see… I am glad to hear that, my lord. Thank you for telling me. I will do as you have commanded.”

I gave her a nod, before asking about another issue.

“Have you spoken to the people we’ve lost?” I debated the situation for a long time. Henri was a Lich that specialized in Necromancy and she could contact those who passed on. I decided that those who were willing to come back, if their bodies were good enough for it, could be contacted for that purpose and I’d get the necessary resources for it to happen. In the future, given the possible casualties and the limitation of my people capable of doing it, I’ll have to reserve it for my elites… but for now I wanted to know if I could give those who died for me a second shot at life. “If you did, what did they say about coming back and enjoying retirement?”

“They refused—

Figures.

“—unless they can continue to fight for you.”

What?

An almost-cute giggle left Henri’s lips as she spoke.

“They refused to return, if they’re expected to return to their homes and become nothing more than retirees in their hidden village. They may have died, my lord, but they still have goals.” Okay, that made sense. I calmed down a little at that. Kunoichi were trained to fight and protect other people. Stipulating that they retire when they return was stupid. I could assign them to less dangerous posts— “So, if they don’t return to your side and continue to have their old duties, they don’t wish to return, my lord.”

Out of nowhere, a headache started to build on my skull and I didn’t care for it one bit.

“…Fine. They can come back to my guard detail, as long as they come back.” In the end, I rationalized that I didn’t want the Kunoichi dead first and foremost. Dictating what they did with their second, last chance was up to them. I didn’t get why they wanted to work for me again, but I didn’t care and didn’t want to think about it anymore. “Go ahead and raise them up as Zombies or something—

“They’re all to become lovely Jiangshi who’ll retain their previous life’s skills and abilities. They’ll also gain incredible strength and durability, although they’ll be prone to growing stiff if they’re not around a potent source of energy to keep them driven… which shouldn’t be a problem.” Henri’s smile made me shiver a little. It felt like when Kurama talked about other women and asked me when I was going to bed them. I was aware that the Kitsune had a voyeur kink bordering on getting off on being cucked, but now I was getting the idea that Henri was in love with the thought of resurrecting Undead for the sole purpose of having them procreate. Yeah, given the darkening of her face and the wide smile beneath the brim of her hat, I was sure that was the case. “They’ll be with you again shortly, my lord. Rest assured that in death they will be greater than they were when they were alive.”

My mind was awhirl with the statement, and the idea that I would now have Kunoichi with superstrength and incredible durability around, but retain their exhibitionist tendencies, so I couldn’t muster a word as my Lich left the scene.

I took some time to try and get rid of my headache with some controlled breathing, before moving on.

I rang the bell on my desk while getting up and throwing on my coat, which was offered to me by a Kunoichi that just stood up from beneath the desk wearing nothing but shadow.

She disappeared with a giggle as I glared at her and the palace servants entered.

“Finish packing my things in here. I’m going to meet with Roseanne.” I ordered the Kikimora and they all curtsied and did as I told them in perfect synchronicity. With smiles and closed eyes, they portioned work perfectly and did as I told them. If I wasn’t used to it back home, I’d be creeped out, but now I just took it in stride. “Take everything to my ship when you’re finished.”

I received a nod from each one at the same time as I made my way out of the palace.

Roseanne’s bureaucracy issues were being solved, I’d handled the smuggling ring, and now spending any more time here was going to get problematic. My closeness to Roseanne and the fact that we worked together so well was getting the rest of the Kindred worried. Setting off to save my territory, halfway across the continent, was going to calm them down. So, I was set to leave and return to Ylstu as it was besieged.

In all honesty, I was glad to be out of the politics and back into the military side of things, especially since it meant putting the Empire down.

As if the thought of bloodshed called to her, A’Bel appeared by my side as I walked towards the Demon Lord.

“It comes, my dear summoner. A conflict that I’ve wished to see since you summoned me. A single man against an entire Empire of men.” The Archdemon whispered to me, afloat and hanging off my shoulder weightlessly, and not clad in her demonic armor. No, she wore her beauty for all to look upon instead, as she whispered into my ear. “Will you lose gloriously? Or shall you win a most vile victory that will make you reprehensible to all of history to come?”

I laughed.

“If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying, and losing isn’t an option.” The Empire was surrounding me. They wanted me dead. That was enough reason for me to do everything I could to kill them, but that wasn’t it. All the things they did to me since they kidnapped me needed to be repaid too. Incendiary cruise missiles? Indiscriminate bombing? Mountain landslides. That was all just the tip of the iceberg regarding what I wanted to do to them. “I’ll make their lives a living hell, send their souls on their way, and drown them in my new soldiers. Then, I’ll get creative.”

A’Bel giggled and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, and I felt her lips against my cheek, while I walked towards the Demon Lord.

Vengeance is a fool’s game… but only if you play it fair.