Chapter 387 350 – Setsuna Takes Action

"What if those kingdoms resist?"

"Even if they don't, I'm planning to steamroll them anyway."

"I forgot to tell you before, but the reason I founded this nation was to unify the world."

Takumi's answer instantly left Kagali dumbfounded.

"C-Conquer the world? That's far too big a leap!"

Although she had once looked very much like a villain, most of what she had actually done was find a place to hide and live her own life.

The sudden announcement that they were going to unify the world left Kagali completely at a loss.

In truth, Takumi understood exactly how she felt.

Had this been his original world, he would also have preferred to settle down somewhere peaceful and live freely.

But he had entered a new world as though diving into a dungeon.

If he came to a new world only to laze around and indulge himself, wouldn't his transmigration have been completely wasted?

"All right. When the time comes, you'll be the empire's second-in-command. I guarantee you'll live like royalty."

Takumi patted Kagali on the shoulder and painted her an enormous picture of future success.

Kagali's adorably blank expression made it seem as though she had nearly choked on that promise.

She had originally been nothing more than an ordinary Demon Lord and the president of the Moderate Harlequin Alliance.

Now she had suddenly become the second-in-command of an empire. That promotion was far too fast.

Could it be because she had already ridden him that her promotion had come so quickly?

Still dazed, Kagali ultimately swallowed the enormous promise Takumi had fed her.

With the Mastermind skill, she immediately began drafting a corresponding plan and set of objectives in her mind.

"If we intend to expand our territory, then our first enemies won't be the neighboring kingdoms, but the various races and monsters living within the Great Forest of Jura."

Kagali's expression turned serious, making her delicate face appear incomparably cool and beautiful.

Freya saw in her the same focused air Norn usually displayed.

The women instinctively chose to follow Kagali's arrangements. After all, none of them were as skilled at using their heads as she was.

Once Takumi shared the Demon Shadow Maidens' memories with Kagali, she immediately came up with a response.

"Master, your servants have expanded very quickly, and that has already caused panic among the nearby monster communities."

"I believe we should communicate with them first and try to bring them under our command."

"Of course, we could also choose to slaughter them, but that would provoke resistance from the various monster tribes and hinder our future expansion."

Having fully settled into her role as his secretary, Kagali quickly presented her recommendation.

Takumi was not someone whose mind contained nothing but killing.

He was perfectly willing to offer those monster tribes a path to survival, provided they joined his empire.

"We'll try diplomacy before force. Give them one chance to choose."

Kagali relaxed upon hearing his answer and immediately began making arrangements.

Takumi had barely warmed his seat before Kagali returned with news.

"There is a goblin tribe nearby that worships the Storm Dragon as their god."

"Since the Storm Dragon died, many monsters have begun flooding into the surrounding area."

"At present, this goblin tribe has come into conflict with an invading Direwolf tribe."

"The goblin chief has asked for our assistance, and they are willing to join the empire."

Kagali delivered her report in an orderly manner.

Sitting on his throne, Takumi suddenly felt as though he were playing a strategy game.

He traced a circle with his left hand, and a live image appeared out of thin air.

It was footage Takumi had extracted directly from that area of space.

The goblins and Direwolves appeared within the image.

"The goblins in this world are quite intelligent, and they aren't particularly evil."

"The Direwolves are wolf monsters, but they possess some intelligence as well."

Takumi casually glanced at the scene while stroking Setsuna's silky silver hair in his arms.

"Setsuna, you go handle this."

"Leave it to Setsuna!"

The moment she received the order, Setsuna sprang to her feet.

Brimming with fighting spirit, she had always craved bloodshed and battle.

After dispatching Setsuna, Takumi remained seated on his throne, pulled Freya into his arms, and began watching the live feed.

Naturally, he would not personally deal with such a minor matter. Sending Setsuna was already giving those monsters plenty of respect.

More importantly, Setsuna had always been restless and loved making trouble, so it was better to let her move around.

Within the footage Takumi had captured, the Direwolf tribe was actively preparing for battle and getting ready to march.

The Direwolf leader gazed arrogantly at his kin, already imagining how they would destroy the goblin village that day and enter the Great Forest of Jura over the goblins' corpses.

Afterward, they would gradually hunt every surrounding monster to extinction and become the rulers of the forest.

Eventually, they would expand their territory even farther, seek greater power, and invade toward the south.

As for the kingdom that had suddenly appeared, the Direwolf leader paid it no attention.

After all, he had already been in this region for many days, yet they had made no move. They were clearly nothing to fear.

"Our tribe's claws can tear apart any monster, and our fangs can pierce any armor!"

"This battle shall mark the beginning of our tribe's rise!"

"Awooo!!!"

The Direwolf leader roared and led his kin forward.

Before long, while marching, they encountered Setsuna heading toward them with several goblins in tow.

"Oh~ We ran into them at just the right time."

Setsuna beamed with delight upon seeing the pack of Direwolves before her.

However, she did not attack immediately. Instead, she took the initiative to speak.

"You're the Direwolf tribe, right?"

"Setsuna came here under Takumi-sama's orders to make you end your conflict with the goblin tribe."

"We're willing to give the Direwolves a chance to join the empire."

Setsuna methodically repeated the speech Kagali had taught her.

Still, the wording inevitably changed somewhat in the retelling, gaining a distinct touch of Setsuna's personality.

To the Direwolves, it sounded very much as though they were being looked down upon.

The Direwolf leader stared straight at Setsuna, then swept his gaze over the trembling goblins behind her.

Contempt immediately appeared in his eyes.

Since entering this forest, he had never smelled the presence of any truly powerful threat.

Every monster they had encountered had been weak.

Even in the forest's central region, where they currently stood, they had yet to face any meaningful resistance.

Their only casualties had occurred when several of their kin were killed by a group of more than ten goblins, and even then, the losses had ended there.

Yet this woman, who had suddenly declared herself an envoy of the empire, had opened by demanding their surrender.

How could they possibly accept that?

"Let them witness the sharpness of our claws and fangs!"

"Awooo!!!"

The Direwolf leader immediately issued his command, and more than a dozen Direwolves behind him surged forward together.

They moved like extensions of their leader's own limbs, lunging toward Setsuna to tear her apart.

This was the Direwolf tribe's true strength. They were monsters capable of acting as a single unified body.

Through the Thought Communication skill, they could communicate mentally and coordinate their attacks far faster than spoken commands would allow.

Just as the Direwolf leader began imagining Setsuna being torn to pieces, a bone-chilling wind suddenly swept across the battlefield.