## Chapter 1308 – The Demonic Race

“My words might sound selfish! But I, too! Am releasing the grains stored in our family’s manor and estate warehouse! I’m merely requesting compensation to release more!”

He pleaded with me, seemingly terrified. It was as if he was making a perfectly reasonable argument, suppressing his fear to assert himself confidently.

“…”

I stared at his face for a moment.

As a nobleman who owned a manor, he tried to avoid my gaze but maintained an upright posture. The belief that he was speaking reasonably drove away his fear.

“A reasonable opinion, nobleman.”
“Ah…!”

Well, yeah. He could certainly voice such an opinion. If someone’s money is involved, they might think like that. So, this bastard is… right in front of me…

It’s not unreasonable for him to spout such nonsense so confidently.

“You’re saying you want compensation if this war with the demonic race ends?”
“Ah, yes! Yes! That’s right!”

As he answered, seemingly regaining his composure,

“Oh, dear…”
“So that means…”

The other group of influential figures standing over there exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, looking troubled.

In the end, this is just a matter of dividing the spoils among the powerful factions. Who will get more after the war? Who will benefit more after the war?

They’re thinking like that right in front of me.

Power is meaningless before my strength.

“I, I believe… you understand me. What I want is merely a reasonable level of… compensation. Acknowledgment of ownership over some of the land destroyed by the demonic race’s invasion… or land that has become ownerless…”

As he rambled on about compensation,

“That’s absurd!!!”

A voice erupted from over there.
It was another nobleman with green hair.

“Count, you’re just trying to line your own pockets using this opportunity! Don’t talk nonsense! Demanding all that land in exchange for food!”
“It’s only natural for the price of food to rise during such an emergency! Don’t you know that!”

The one who answered him was another guy who seemed to be in the same faction as the nobleman I was talking to.

“Are you even thinking about the people who are dying!”
“Likewise, don’t try to haggle any further when people are dying! If you want food, you should naturally share the land! We’re not the only ones sacrificing! Everyone must sacrifice together to survive!”
“Nonsense! What you’re doing is business, not sacrifice!”

The fight that started right in front of me escalates.

What a bunch of pathetic bastards.

While I was out destroying the demonic race’s fleets, these guys, who were just issuing orders to their subordinates here, are raising their voices. That in itself is very displeasing to me.

“Hey, you guys.”

I said quietly.

“Are you going to fight in front of me?”
“…!”
“…!”

Silence descends instantly.

“Ah, this, this isn’t a fight…”
“We were just trying to share our opinions…”

The bastards who hadn’t come to their senses yet tried to make excuses, but when I lightly walked over and placed my hand on the head of the guy who was shouting, they fell silent again.

“Fighting in front of this… the true savior of humanity… doesn’t seem like a very good idea. Let’s just shut up for now. The fact that you guys are still alive and able to fight here is all thanks to me. Isn’t that right?”

If it weren’t for me, the capital would already be annihilated.

The powerful Karga Kingdom has hundreds of years of history and possesses considerable military strength, but that’s it. They’re no match for the demonic race, who possess even more superior technology.

Of course, if the demonic race’s ground landing forces and the kingdom’s knights fight each other, they can hold their own to some extent, and they might even win, but that’s it.

They can’t catch the fleets.

“…Y, yes, that’s right.”
“That’s right.”
“E, everything is thanks to the Hero…”

The nobles who were fighting began to bow their heads and apologize to me.

“From now on, if you want to speak about this matter, get my permission and obtain the right to speak before you talk.”
“…”
“…”

This should be enough.

“Now, let’s continue the story from before. You.”
“Ah… yes.”
“If the war ends… you want ownership of the destroyed lands as compensation for releasing the food now?”
“Yes… that’s right. I believe that will be the price for our sacrifice…”

It seems like I’m the one sacrificing the most right now.

What would they think if I demanded all that land as compensation for destroying the demonic race’s fleet? No. I don’t even need to demand it. The moment I want it, it will all be mine. No permission. No acknowledgment. Nothing is needed.

Right now, I am capable of acting as I please.

“If the war ends…”

But I won’t do that.
As always.

I’ll just talk reasonably.

“Did you say that?”
“Yes? W, what do you mean?”
“Did you say you want compensation when the war ends?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right. I believe that everything functions properly only when there is reasonable compensation for any undertaking…”

I say to him as he babbles,

“Who is it that ends the war?”
“…That is.”

He closes his mouth and looks into my eyes.

“Who can end the war?”
“…”

Silence descends.

“I asked who can end the war.”

The only one who can end the war.
Is me.

“That is… only the Hero… can.”
“Yes.”

I place my hand on his head as he answers with his head bowed and continue speaking.

“No one here except me can do it. Whether or not the war ends depends purely on my will, nobleman.”
“…”

Overcoming this situation. Blocking the demonic race’s attack. And thus, ending the war. The only one who can do that is me, and it is entirely determined by my will.

No matter how strong those demonic bastards are. Even if my father-in-law, the Demon King of the Demon Realm, is a fucking lot stronger than me, I can kill them all and end the war.

I have that confidence.

“It depends only on my will.”

I am clearly aware of that.
The moment I don’t do it, everyone dies.

Fusion Confucianism.

Within my Fusion Confucianism.
That heavy fact is very clearly embedded.

That is the sea-like heart of me, the savior of humanity. I am the true Hero. A Hero with the power of destruction to fill this world with love.

“Where is your estate located?”
“…East.”
“East, huh. That’s where I destroyed one of the fleets.”

If I hadn’t done it, this bastard’s estate would have been completely destroyed as well.

“I destroyed the demonic race’s fleet in the east. If I hadn’t done it, your estate would have been turned to dust. Don’t you think so?”
“…That’s right.”
“The fact that you can babble on about the food in your estate is entirely thanks to me destroying the demonic race’s fleet.”

That’s all that matters.

“Therefore. I will requisition everything you have.”
“Th, that is…”

What is established thanks to me is mine.

“I thought that I protected your estate by destroying the demonic race’s fleet. And I thought that I am the only one who can end this war. So, I want indiscriminate requisition. As much as I try to kill the demonic race. As compensation for that. Because I believe that the refugees need to eat and live during that time.”
“…”
“If that’s what I think, then that’s the end of the story.”

The story ends here.

“This is absurd…”

The nobleman, with his head bowed, muttered something, but he didn’t seem to have the strength to raise his voice any further. It’s only natural. Because this is my will.

“How dare you put my work into your calculations.”
“…”

I’m the one who’s going to win.
And you’re trying to use that victory to increase your wealth.

“That’s the price for considering my victory as just an opportunity to increase your wealth.”
“…”

I don’t recognize the private property of such unfilial bastards.

“From now on, all kinds of food and equivalent resources throughout the kingdom will be requisitioned in my name. Anyone who is dissatisfied, come out now. I won’t touch the demonic race when they destroy your side.”

Thus, I declared to everyone in this room. Not a single person argued or offered a different opinion.

“Okay, everyone heard that, right?”

Cadia, who had been quietly standing by, stepped forward and said.

“Our Hero has ordered a requisition. Those who refuse will all be judged by the Hero. The requisitioned resources will all be used for the refugees. That is all.”

With that, this matter came to an end.

“Haa.”

Cadia sighed.

“I should call you Hero now, not Paladin. Really… such overwhelming force… even the Holy Maiden had no choice but to hold her breath.”
“What?”
“I’m talking about that declaration just now.”
“My declaration?”
“It was truly a force befitting the heavy responsibility of being the Hero of humanity… a truly frightening force.”

Cadia said, stroking her face.

“Hmph, frightening my ass. It was just what I had to do. I can’t stand to see the population plummeting because of unnecessary delays.”
“Truly sublime. Anyway, really… the only one we can trust now is the Paladin. No. Beyond that, you are a great source of reliance. There will be no more unnecessary fights over the food issue now.”

A smile appeared on her seemingly powerless face.

“It’s a relief that we have the Paladin.”
“Yeah. Just trust me.”
“I always do.”

Anyway, Cadia said that she had to go back to her work with the Church’s aides and left. Cadia has a lot to do too. She’s in a position to command the Church’s warriors.

I looked around.

“…”

The nobleman whose resources I had requisitioned was just standing there frozen in place. He had a look of someone who had lost their soul. This bastard… presumptuously talking about victory. It’s a wonder I didn’t punch him.

“You. You look very wronged.”
“Ah.”

He reacted to my words.

“…No, I’m not.”
“The only compensation I can give you is to preserve your current territory. That’s all.”
“…I understand.”

Still, I decided to do that much because the food in this bastard’s estate will allow countless refugees to eat. It’s like I’m protecting this bastard’s land.

Anyway, let’s end this story here, and I approached the royal family members sitting over there. I also have things to do with King Karga.

“King Karga, you heard everything I said, right? Just do as I said. Authorize unlimited requisition for the Royal Knights. Use that to save the refugees. Until I destroy all the demonic race’s fleets.”
“…I understand.”

ㅡSwish.

He stood up from his seat and said.

“Truly… a very excellent… Hero. A decisiveness that is truly worthy of being called the savior of humanity… I can say. Many people will live because of that decision.”
“It must be so.”

The King was in a state of complete agreement with my words and was showing his will to do as I said. It’s only natural since he knows my power.

ㅡ…

Next to the King, the Sword Master was standing with her arms crossed, silently looking at me. When I looked at her, she opened her mouth.

“Saving people.”
“Yes?”
“Is that what you call love?”

What is this old woman trying to say again?

“Sword Master. If we start talking about love here… there will be no end to it. Do you really want to hear my story?”
“Ah, no! That’s not what I meant. I was just thinking after seeing your work!”

She shouted, visibly flustered.

If I wanted to, I could tell this crazy old woman about the right ideology for a day and two nights… It seems like she wants to have a serious conversation, but I don’t have time for that right now.

I have conveyed my intentions.

I can’t tolerate this kind of bullshit happening while fighting the demonic race. I’ll have to establish order after this war is over.

Anyway, I immediately turned around and walked away.

I have a lot to do.
I’ll postpone resting until later.

My women are sitting in the back over there.
Let’s go back together.

“Let’s go. The talk is over.”
“Ah…”

I approached them to take them away, but their reactions were strange.

“Hmm? Why?”
“No. That…”

They avoided my gaze, blushing and twirling their hair with their fingers.