#506 Business Trip Advertisement

My name is Achelos, a lieutenant soldier in the glorious demon army.

I’m past the prime of my life, so I’m slow to rise in the ranks. I will probably retire from the army without ever getting promoted.

I’ve grown old enough to discern my own resourcefulness. Even if I weren’t, I no longer need to fight now that the Human-Demon War has ended. In other words, the seeds of my career would cease to grow.

Still, if I can continue serving my time and obtain a pensioned life appropriate for a lieutenant, I can say that I’ve lived a fulfilling enough life.

Although there is nothing glorious about this, at least it’s safe and stable.

I have no desire to struggle in the future, so I should be good enough as long as I pull through.

It was at this point when...

* * *

I was put in charge of dungeon exploration.

There are dungeons scattered all over the country, and I was to enter one of them, clear out the monsters, and ensure safety.

The Demon King’s Army also does such things.

In addition to fighting enemies, maintaining domestic security is also an important responsibility. Apart from criminals, the threat that roams the country is monsters.

Monsters originate in dungeons, so the most efficient way is to exterminate them in their habitats before they invade other areas.

As such, platoons of the army are often given the task of exterminating monsters in the name of dungeon exploration—a task we’re all-too-familiar with.

In the distant land of the former Human Kingdom, they have adventurers who take care of all dungeon-related work, but on our side (the Demon Kingdom), the Demon Army—the official army—has jurisdiction over all of this.

Today, I’m entering the dungeon with about a dozen soldiers under my command.

However, I was unaware of the extraordinary danger that awaited us.

“What the...?!”

Our perimeter was already surrounded, a crowd of monsters so huge that one wondered where they’d been lurking.

They were rushing in from all directions, exceeding the limits of what our group could resist.

Having said that, we can’t escape.

They’ve surrounded us without any possible opening. 

All we can do is huddle up and hold the monsters at bay by being on the alert in all directions.

“I wasn’t expecting this many monsters...! We’re greatly outnumbered...!”

Wait. Actually, this isn’t that unexpected.

The Demon King’s Army has been disarming for the past few years.

The number of personnel has reduced considerably—many superiors, colleagues, and subordinates have reached their end of active service.

This means that the work that used to be done by a sufficient number of people is now on the shoulders of a smaller number. Naturally, it cannot be done as efficiently as before.

It has been a long time since we purged this dungeon.

The number of dungeons our team has to deal with has increased since the disarmament.

“We’ve left twice as much time between purges than we should have...! No wonder the monsters have multiplied!”

It was my mistake to enter the dungeon casually, failing to anticipate such dangers.

I should have taken the precaution of informing my superiors and had additional personnel stationed in the dungeon. I failed to do that.

As a result, we’re surrounded.

I don’t mind if I alone die because of my blunder, but I cannot bear to have my subordinates suffer the same fate.

I must get them out alive at any cost...!

I check with my adjutant.

“Is everyone here? No one fell behind?”

“Yes, sir. But at this point...!”

Every last one of us will fall prey to the monsters.

Our small squad has little chance of receiving relief even if we cope with the situation.

The only hope for survival is to charge in and try to escape the dungeon. Of course, it will be a risky one.

“...Listen up, soldiers, we’re going to make a breakthrough. I will be in the vanguard, and you will all follow.”

“Captain! But that’s...!”

“I am, after all, the strongest one in this squad. I can use more powerful magic. That’s why I’m the captain of this squad.”

In order to break through this wave of monsters, a solid penetrating power is needed.

My most potent magic is the best suited to bear the brunt of it.

“But captain! Being in the front line means you will be in the enemy’s line of fire! As such, your mortality rate would be much higher...!”

“You don’t have to state the obvious. The captain’s responsibility is to bring back as many of his men as possible alive.”

It is only natural that I would risk my life for that.

“We will find the weakest part of the encirclement and charge into it. Don’t think about counterattacking. Focus on escaping! Is that clear?”

“Captain!”

“What? The war is already over, and the world has lost its glamour. I might have even got myself a nice place to die.”

I’ve dreamed of a retired, pensioned life, but it turns out I’m more of a soldier than I thought if I find dying in battle glorious.

But my men may not be the same.

To return them to their families alive... Achelos, the demon soldier, takes on the final battle!

“Uoooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!”

Just before I was about to launch a desperate suicide attack against the monster hordes...

They were sent flying in a heartbeat.  

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Suddenly, a raging burst of fighting spirit swallows the monsters and washes them away at once.

“What?! What’s going on?!”

Personally, it’s a lifesaver because the monsters, which are life-threatening themselves, are gone.

Still, how?

How did the monsters just vanish like that?

“Captain! Look!”

“What is it this time?!”

“Orcs!”

Orcs?!

A new wave of monsters?!

Orcs are famous anthropomorphic monsters, so it’s no surprise they would spawn in this dungeon. But...!

“They’re fighting the other monsters!”

“What?!”

These few orcs are battling the other species... Or rather, they are one-sidedly exterminating them!

The “attack” earlier already blew away nearly half of them, and now the remaining waves are being sent flying like mowed grass!

Were orcs always this strong?!

Amidst our astonishment, the orcs fully annihilated the other monsters.

We were the only ones left standing along with them.

“Captain...?!”

“Stay on guard. We can’t be sure if they’re allies or not just yet.”

Any monster is basically an enemy.

The orcs could be trying to get to their main prey after eliminating the obstacles in the way...

One of the orcs steps forward and approaches us.

...W-What is this overwhelming aura?!

“...You look exhausted, my good sir.”

“Pardon?”

The orc spoke?!

“I can see that you have been battling with repeated hard work, your body and mind fatigued and weary. I would like to recommend a place to you!”

The orc hands me a piece of paper.

It’s colorful and has...a picture on it? Words too? What does this read? ‘Hot spring’?!

“The hot springs will surely heal your fatigue and revitalize your soul. We hope you will visit us on your day off... Guys!”

The most respectable-looking orc calls out to the other orcs.

“We’re done advertising here! Let’s move on to the next site! We’re going to spread word of the hot spring ryokan to the soldiers!”

“ROGER THAT, LEADER ORKUBO!!!”

And just like that, the orcs left like the wind.

The monsters in the dungeon were annihilated.

What were those orcs who swept the hordes so quickly that even a squad of our army had trouble dealing with?!

But thanks to them, I made a narrow escape from death!

...

None of this feels real!!!

...

......Hot springs, huh?

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achelos was on purpose (achelous)