Thus, the free city of Arsenum fell into the hands of the Demon King's army.

　The Immortal Brigade's deaths in the war were in the tens.
　The deaths on Arsenum's side were about three figures, so from the size of the city, it fell with minimal casualties.

　However, the orc's chief of staff was a little dissatisfied.

''It's no better to have a small number of deaths on our side, but aren't the heads of the enemy generals too few?''

　I'd like to say that I've kept that to a minimum, but I don't say it.
　Instead, I reply thus.

''Aside from the previous Demon King, the current Demon King is a man who values the results more than the number of heads of his enemies. He appreciates the merit of our battles.

　--should be, but I'm not sure.

　Certainly, the orc counselor was right, the point of evaluation of the demon king's army is concentrated on how well they killed humans.

　Just like Japan's Warring States period, the demons are evaluated and rise in the ranks based on how many heads they bring home from a famous enemy general.

　However, since the reign of the current King of Demons, Dylockten-sama, the evaluation method has been drastically reformed.

　Even if you don't have to kill humans, as long as you can produce results, he'll evaluate you.

　Otherwise, a person like me would never be selected as a brigade commander, so that theory must be correct, but the traditional values of the Demon King's Army still seem to be prevalent.

''Either way, this Arsenum is a trading city. No, whether it's a mining city or an agricultural city, it's the same. Even if you control a city, it's useless if you kill its inhabitants. Who's going to trade with it when it's empty?　If you kill a dwarf, who will make the silversmiths?　If you kill the farmer, who will plow the fields?　How are we going to feed our livestock when the fields are gone?

Yes, well, I suppose that's true, but...

　Some demons said that if there were no pigs or cows, they should just eat humans, but as expected, they were in the minority.

　There are few demons who prefer to eat humans.
　The demon tribe also wants to eat good food.
　The same reason why carnivorous meat is inedible, human meat is also apparently very tasteless.

　Besides, demons can't make beautiful ornamental crafts like humans and dwarves can.

　On the contrary, they don't have the skills to make even the bare essentials like carriages and weapons.
　Everything is either captured from humans or forced to make them.

That's why killing the inhabitants of that city is the best idea of all.

　I told him so, and after repeated assurances not to kill any unresisting citizens, I decided to go see the city's representative.


　The representative of the city.

　The lord who governs this city is currently in a critical condition and is unconscious, so the representatives would be the head of the merchant guild and the head of the church parish.

　When both of them were the first to flirt with me, I got to the core of the matter.

''Ike-sama, how much tax should I pay to the Demon King's Army in the future?''

　The head of the merchant guild asks.

'Master Ike, will your faith in God be recognized in the future?'

　The answer to each is.

'No different than before.'

　Both parties are relieved to hear those words.
　Until I add, however.

"However, the laws of the Demon King's Army are above the laws of this city in all respects. Anybody who resists or cooperates with the Demon King's army will be punished, no matter how many people they are. Keep that in mind.

　After giving that order, both of them bowed deeply and left.

　The reason why they unexpectedly withdrew so easily is probably because the conditions were looser than expected.

　Of course, all the treasures stored in the city will be confiscated and freedom will be much more restricted than before, but it seems to be a far easier occupation policy than I had assumed.

　Well, until a long time ago, it was normal for all soldiers to be killed and those in charge to be publicly executed, so it's a far better occupation policy than that.

　Although this is a generous treatment by the current Demon Lord, there are still some armies that still draw on the old customs.

　For example, it is said that the head of the 2nd Legion, which is known to be the most brutal, executed the person in charge of the city he occupied by pouring boiling, molten iron into his mouth.

　Compared to that, the Seventh Legion's occupation policy may be easy.

　--I've been thinking of the face of the commander of the 7th Legion.
　The invasion was over, the occupation was over, and I had to go and report that to him.

　The moment I thought that, my body lost its outline in a haze and disappeared from the scene.